The Supreme Court has agreed to hear Carnahan v. Maloney, a case concerning the ability of House Democrats to sue for information from a federal agency regarding a lease for the Old Post Office building in Washington, D.C. that was awarded to a former President Donald Trump's company. The Biden administration is represented by Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, who argued that the appeals court decision allowing the lawsuit threatens the balance of power between the executive and legislative branches. The outcome of the case could determine the extent to which Congress is able to obtain information from the executive branch in the future.
Posts tagged as “the Supreme Court”
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a challenge brought by South Carolina Republican officials seeking to overturn a lower court ruling that found their redistricting plan violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The case could have major implications for the future of redistricting in South Carolina and could set a precedent for how states draw congressional district lines across the country. If successful, the challenge could lead to a new map being drawn in the coming months and more legal challenges to gerrymandering in other states.
At a CNN town hall event, Donald Trump refused to answer a question on whether he would sign a federal abortion ban into law if he were to win the 2024 presidential election. This refusal has been met with criticism from both sides of the aisle, leaving the Republican Party’s stance on abortion unclear as the primaries approach. Trump instead said he would “negotiate so that people are happy”, referencing the Supreme Court overturning its 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling and ending the national right to an abortion.
Pakistan's Supreme Court has ordered the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who was arrested on corruption charges and sparked countrywide violence. The decision was accompanied by a request for Khan to appeal to his supporters to remain peaceful, and the government is continuing to take steps to ensure the safety of citizens. Khan remains hugely popular in the country, and it is yet to be seen how his supporters will respond to the court's decision.
Eleven members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led by Chairman Dick Durbin, have requested that Harlan Crow, a Republican donor and real estate magnate, provide an itemized list of gifts and real estate transactions given to Supreme Court justices or their family members. The committee has requested that Crow provide the requested information by May 22, 2023 and has not yet received a response. This is part of the committee’s ongoing efforts to craft legislation strengthening the ethical rules and standards that apply to the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court has temporarily blocked the execution of Richard Glossip, who was convicted of murder-for-hire in 1997 based on the testimony of a single witness. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond has since released evidence indicating the witness was not entirely truthful, leading to reasonable doubt of Glossip's guilt. Despite this, Glossip was still scheduled to be put to death on May 18, leading to public outcry from his supporters and celebrities. The Supreme Court's decision is a temporary reprieve, and it is possible that Oklahoma could still seek to execute Glossip in the future.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) has called for the Supreme Court and Chief Justice John Roberts to adopt a binding code of conduct in response to a ProPublica story that revealed Dallas real estate billionaire Harlan Crow had paid tuition for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ grandnephew. Durbin argued that the revelations demonstrate the need for a binding code of conduct, and his call for action has been echoed by other lawmakers. The Supreme Court currently has a code of conduct, but it is not binding.
The Arizona Supreme Court has fined attorneys for Kari Lake, the 2022 Republican candidate for governor, for making false claims about the November election. The court ordered the attorneys to pay $2,000 for repeating "unequivocally false" statements in court, which Chief Justice Robert Brutinel said undermined the integrity of the electoral process. Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) and Secretary of State Adrian Fontes (D) welcomed the ruling as a reminder that false claims about elections will not be tolerated.