Justice Sonia Sotomayor apologized for critical remarks about Justice Brett Kavanaugh's upbringing following a dispute over immigration enforcement rulings. The rare public clash highlights growing tensions within the Supreme Court.
Posts tagged as “Clarence Thomas”
The U.S. Supreme Court has issued a temporary order preventing the deportation of Venezuelan detainees at the Bluebonnet Detention Center in Texas, ensuring they remain in the U.S. while legal proceedings regarding their rights continue. This decision follows an earlier stipulation by the court that deportations could only proceed if detainees were given a chance to present their case and contest the decision. The emergency appeal, filed by the ACLU, challenges the use of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 in these deportation efforts, and while the order was not unanimous, it temporarily halts deportations, allowing for further legal examination.
The United States Supreme Court has declined to hear a case brought by Steve Wynn, which sought to challenge the 1964 New York Times v. Sullivan decision that requires public figures to prove "actual malice" in defamation lawsuits. Wynn's case aimed to lower the threshold for public figures to pursue defamation claims, potentially altering media law, but the court's decision leaves the existing standard intact. This decision highlights the ongoing influence of the Sullivan ruling in protecting news organizations under the First Amendment, despite some calls to revisit the precedent.
Key takeaways: House Republicans are continuing their investigation into President Joe Biden’s family business dealings. The investigation follows a year of public corruption scandals, including…
Eight House Democrats are calling on Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to recuse himself from a case involving former President Donald Trump's immunity from federal prosecution due to his wife's political activities and his financial situation. The Democrats argued that Thomas' financial situation and his wife's political activities raise questions about his impartiality and should lead him to recuse himself from the case. They urged the Supreme Court to take the necessary steps to ensure that the case is heard by impartial justices.
Key takeaways: The Supreme Court rejected a First Amendment challenge to a Washington state law that bars licensed health professionals from practicing conversion therapy on…
The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected Florida's bid to enforce a law that would have prohibited children from attending drag shows, keeping in place a lower court ruling as a legal challenge continues. The law was challenged by a restaurant in Orlando known as Hamburger Mary's, arguing that it was unconstitutional and imposed unlawful restrictions on free speech. Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch said they would have granted Florida's bid, while Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Justice Amy Coney Barrett said the court's decision does not speak to their views on the merits of the case.
The Senate Judiciary Committee has announced plans to issue subpoenas to three individuals in connection with a probe into ethics practices at the Supreme Court. The 11 Democratic members of the panel are targeting two wealthy Republican donors and an influential conservative legal activist in order to uncover more information about the trips provided to two Supreme Court justices. The investigation is a significant escalation of the Democrats' efforts to hold the high court accountable, and the subpoenas could provide important insight into the relationship between the justices and wealthy donors.