The U.S. Supreme Court

[phkrause]

Supreme Court rejects challenge to Connecticut law that eliminated religious vaccination exemption

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a challenge to a 2021 Connecticut law that eliminated the state’s longstanding religious exemption from childhood immunization requirements for schools, colleges and day care facilities.

https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-vaccine-exemptions-connecticut-29927533dfb5bc82ee47668c630bc875?

[phkrause]

Supreme Court rejects appeal from ex-reality star Josh Duggar

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal from Josh Duggar, a former reality television star convicted of downloading child sexual abuse images.

https://apnews.com/article/josh-duggar-supreme-court-f6aa13a174998b5f89614468f924925f?

[phkrause]

The Supreme Court is poised to announce blockbuster decisions this week on abortion, guns and former President Donald Trump's claims of absolute immunity. Trump has argued that without immunity, presidents would be hamstrung in office, always fearful of being second guessed by a zealous prosecutor after leaving the White House. The immunity case appears likely to come down to whether Trump's actions after the 2020 election were "official" – that is, steps he was taking as president — or whether they were "private," which would not likely receive immunity. The high court on Monday also agreed to hear the Biden administration's challenge to a transgender care ban, delving into the complicated issue of whether states can ban hormone therapy and puberty blockers for minors.

[phkrause]

The Supreme Court Case Designed To Legalize Bribery

The U.S. Supreme Court is about to hear an obscure case that could legalize corporations enriching public officials in exchange for lucrative government contracts and other favors. 

https://www.levernews.com/the-supreme-court-case-designed-to-legalize-bribery/?

The Supreme Court rules for Biden administration in a social media dispute with conservative states

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Wednesday sided with the Biden administration in a dispute with Republican-led states over how far the federal government can go to combat controversial social media posts on topics including COVID-19 and election security.

https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-social-media-biden-administration-453b6ae8794548f960c4ebf72a534aff?

Justices seem set to allow emergency abortions in Idaho for now, a prematurely posted opinion says

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court appears poised to allow emergency abortions in Idaho when a pregnant patient’s health is at serious risk, according to a copy of the opinion briefly posted on the court’s website Wednesday and obtained by Bloomberg News.

https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-emergency-abortion-idaho-fda6b6b8cefd026dea95011dfcf11426?

Supreme Court overturns ex-mayor’s bribery conviction, narrowing the scope of public corruption law

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court overturned the bribery conviction of a former Indiana mayor on Wednesday, the latest in a series of decisions narrowing the scope of federal public corruption law.

https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-public-corruption-bribery-89774f1e3cd6f1a353718b7ce3ff18a0?

SCOTUS set to punt in abortion case

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Republican legislators appear likely to lose a significant abortion case at the Supreme Court, Bloomberg News reports. ? The court hasn't officially handed down that ruling yet, but appeared to accidentally post it online earlier today while releasing other decisions. Bloomberg was able to snag the document before it was taken down. ? Catch up quick: The case concerns Idaho's near-total ban on abortion — specifically, whether doctors can perform the procedure during a medical emergency to save the mother from suffering serious health issues. The document posted to the court's website today, per Bloomberg, is a narrow and largely procedural 6-3 ruling. It allows emergency procedures to continue while courts sort out the larger legal questions around Idaho's law. ⚡️ Between the lines: It's the second time in two years that a major abortion ruling has become public before its official release. And it'll be the second loss for abortion-rights opponents this term. Just a few weeks ago, the court rejected a challenge to the FDA's approval of mifepristone, a drug used in medical abortions. What's next: The court has 10 more decisions to hand down over the next two days, including the abortion case and blockbusters on Trump's claims of presidential immunity and the power of federal regulatory agencies. The justices will release more rulings tomorrow at 10 a.m. ET.

[phkrause]

⚖️ SCOTUS narrows Jan. 6 charges

Photo: Valerie Plesch/Bloomberg via Getty Images The Supreme Court today narrowed one of the charges prosecutors have relied on in Jan. 6 cases — including the case against former President Trump. The charge — obstructing an official proceeding — has typically been used for white-collar crimes like evidence tampering, but the Justice Department argued the Jan. 6 riot was an effort to obstruct the certification of the 2020 election, and therefore fit the bill. In a 6-3 ruling, the court said there does need to be some form of interference with documents or other materials to pursue that charge. It told lower courts to figure out which Jan. 6 cases meet that standard. ? What's next: The ruling will likely invalidate the obstruction charge against many rioters, Axios' Sam Baker writes, but special counsel Jack Smith has argued the charge against Trump could still stand. The specific accusations against Trump — that he and his allies attempted to submit fraudulent election certifications — fit within even a narrower reading of the obstruction charge, Smith says.   Supreme Court says restrictions on homeless people not "cruel and unusual" The Supreme Court sided with a small, southern Oregon town in a 6-3 ruling Friday, saying it has the authority to enforce ordinances that criminalize behaviors associated with being unhoused — like sleeping or camping on public property or parks — even when no shelter is available. https://www.axios.com/2024/06/28/supreme-court-decision-homelessness-case-grants-pass? Supreme Court makes it harder to charge Capitol riot defendants with obstruction, charge Trump faces WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Friday limited a federal obstruction law that has been used to charge hundreds of Capitol riot defendants as well as former President Donald Trump. https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-capitol-riot-obstruction-2cdba47baa5cea8177d651de751760a6? ps:of course they did!! Whats new??

[phkrause]

What it means for the Supreme Court to throw out Chevron decision, undercutting federal regulators

WASHINGTON (AP) — Executive branch agencies will likely have more difficulty regulating the environment, public health, workplace safety and other issues under a far-reaching decision by the Supreme Court.

https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-chevron-regulations-environment-4ae73d5a79cabadff4da8f7e16669929?

Divided Supreme Court rules in major homelessness case that outdoor sleeping bans are OK

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court cleared the way for cities to enforce bans on homeless people sleeping outside in public places on Friday, overturning a ruling from a California-based appeals court that found such laws amount to cruel and unusual punishment when shelter space is lacking.

https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-homeless-camping-bans-506ac68dc069e3bf456c10fcedfa6bee?

[phkrause]

Regulators lose, again, at SCOTUS

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

The Supreme Court struck a serious blow to federal regulators today — and more hits are likely on the way, Axios Markets co-author Emily Peck writes. In a 6-3 decision, the court ruled that defendants accused of fraud by the Securities and Exchange Commission have the right to a jury trial. ? Why it matters: The SEC, like many other agencies, often relies on administrative law judges who are part of the executive branch, rather than the judicial system. Forcing the SEC to take more enforcement actions to court will be far more expensive and time-consuming — which could mean the agency will end up bringing fewer of those actions. The ruling could also affect a host of other agencies, including the EPA and OSHA. ? What's next: Weakening the federal regulatory apparatus is one of the conservative court's clearest priorities, and the next salvo in that effort will likely happen soon. The court is expected to rule any day now in a case that could make it much easier to challenge regulations in court. Go deeper.

[phkrause]

The Supreme Court rejects a nationwide opioid settlement with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a nationwide settlement with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma that would have shielded members of the Sackler family who own the company from civil lawsuits over the toll of opioids but also would have provided billions of dollars to combat the opioid epidemic.

https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-purdue-pharma-opioid-crisis-bankruptcy-9859e83721f74f726ec16b6e07101c7c?

[phkrause]

The Supreme Court strips the SEC of a critical enforcement tool in fraud cases

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Thursday stripped the Securities and Exchange Commission of a major tool in fighting securities fraud in a decision that also could have far-reaching effects on other regulatory agencies.

https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-regulatory-agencies-sec-36f16444b1d4fc52985fdb68896362bb?

[phkrause]

What it means for the Supreme Court to block enforcement of the EPA’s ‘good neighbor’ pollution rule

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency will not be able to enforce a key rule limiting air pollution in nearly a dozen states while separate legal challenges proceed around the country, under a Supreme Court decision Thursday.

https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-epa-good-neighbor-air-pollution-ea23421c78999293267339faf4453cdb?

[phkrause]

Supreme Court Power Grab Overturns 40-Year Precedent In Huge Win For Corporations

The Supreme Court ’s conservative supermajority upended decades of precedent governing the ability of federal agencies to set regulations in a ruling on Friday.

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/3508730037135-supreme-court-power-grab-overturns-40-year-precedent-in-huge-win-for-corporations?

[phkrause]

Update: Supreme Court decision to favor camping bans may have profound impact on Florida’s homeless

A highly anticipated ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court Friday cleared the way for cities and counties to ban camping in public places and arrest people for doing it, endorsing a get-tough approach toward homelessness.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/06/28/supreme-court-allows-camping-bans-endorsing-floridas-tough-new-approach-to-homelessness/?

[phkrause]

⚖️ Supreme Court vs. Executive Branch

Demonstrators' sign outside the Supreme Court yesterday. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images When they write the history books about this era of the Supreme Court, its decimation of presidents' regulatory powers will loom just as large as any other issue, Axios' Sam Baker writes. Why it matters: Every modern president leans heavily on executive actions to advance their agenda. Democrats, in particular, use federal agencies for climate, health and tech regulation. Those days are numbered. Between the lines: These rulings aren't always the ones that grab the public's attention. But the consequences are forever. They touch just about every executive action of any significance that any future president will ever attempt. ? Catch up quick: In a 6-3 decision, the court yesterday overturned the doctrine known as "Chevron deference." When Congress writes laws, it directs Executive Branch agencies to implement those laws. The regulations those agencies write are often challenged in court. Chevron held that, when the courts are dealing with one of those disputes — and when the underlying law is vague or unclear about what the relevant agency should do — the courts will defer to the agency's interpretation, as long as it's reasonable. ? What's next: Expect to see more aggressive legal challenges to decisions from the EPA, the FDA and tech regulators, including the FCC and FTC. Go deeper: Chevron takeaways.

[phkrause]

⚖️ Decision Day on Trump immunity

The Supreme Court tomorrow is expected to issue its much-anticipated decision on whether Trump has legal immunity for his actions as president.

• Trump has asserted that former presidents cannot be prosecuted, even after leaving office, for actions they took while in office.
• ⚡️ A decision by the court granting full or partial immunity to Trump would affect the charges against him in the federal cases involving his effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election and his handling of classified documents.

When the justices heard the case in April, it appeared that some conservative justices might be open to at least some presidential immunity.

• Either way, months of courts weighing the issue have essentially handed at least a partial victory to Trump: Whatever the court decides, it's now unlikely either case will be resolved before the Nov. 5 election.

Go deeper: The Supreme Court vs. the executive branch

[phkrause]

Alito’s Dissent in Emergency Abortion Case Provides “Building Blocks” for More Extreme Bans

Despite deciding not to decide, the Supreme Court’s conservative supermajority laid out a legal road map for anti-abortion zealots.

https://theintercept.com/2024/06/28/emtala-supreme-court-decision-alito/?

[phkrause]

The Supreme Court is expected to hand down its final opinions of the term today, resolving the question of whether former President Donald Trump may claim immunity from federal election subversion charges. Trump and his team have raised that, without at least some form of immunity, future presidents would over time be subjected to politically motivated prosecutions. The court will also decide two cases at the intersection of the First Amendment and social media. At issue are laws enacted in Florida and Texas aimed at stopping social media giants like Facebook and X from throttling conservative views. The state laws ban online platforms from removing or demoting posts that express opinions, such as political content.

[phkrause]

U.S. Supreme Court Ruling Will Allow More Aggressive Homeless Encampment Removals

The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to give cities broader latitude to punish people for sleeping in public when they have no other options will likely result in municipalities taking more aggressive action to remove encampments, including throwing away more of homeless people’s property, advocates and legal experts said.

https://www.propublica.org/article/us-supreme-court-grants-pass-homelessness?

[phkrause]

Supreme Court rules ex-presidents have broad immunity, dimming chance of a pre-election Trump trial

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday ruled for the first time that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution, extending the delay in the Washington criminal case against Donald Trump on charges he plotted to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss and all but ending prospects the former president could be tried before the November election.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/07/01/supreme-court-rules-ex-presidents-have-broad-immunity-dimming-chance-of-a-pre-election-trump-trial/

Trump wins

Today's opinion. Photo: Jon Elswick/AP

Presidents cannot be prosecuted for their "official acts," the Supreme Court said today in a historic 6-3 ruling. And while it did not fully define "official acts," it set guidelines that will ensure a relatively broad blanket of immunity — both for former President Trump and for every president after him. ? "In every use of official power, the President is now a king above the law," Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in a blistering dissent. ⚖️ What's next: The Justice Department's case against Trump is almost certainly not going to trial before the election, if ever. The timing was already hanging by a thread, and now lower courts will need to spend considerable time hashing out whether any of Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election can be classified as unofficial acts. He can't be prosecuted for his communication with Justice Department officials or then-Vice President Pence, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the court's majority, and charges involving his tweets and public statements will also be hard for prosecutors to defend. "BIG WIN FOR OUR CONSTITUTION AND DEMOCRACY," Trump said on Truth Social. Read the ruling. Supreme Court rules ex-presidents have broad immunity, dimming chance of a pre-election Trump trial WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday ruled for the first time that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution, extending the delay in the Washington criminal case against Donald Trump on charges he plotted to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss and all but ending prospects the former president could be tried before the November election. https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-capitol-riot-immunity-2dc0d1c2368d404adc0054151490f542?

[phkrause]

The Supreme Court rules for a North Dakota truck stop in a new blow to federal regulators

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court opened the door Monday to new, broad challenges to regulations long after they take effect, the third blow in a week to federal agencies.

https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-regulations-north-dakota-debit-cards-9ff39be52325ea4d11bd0742e5f3c344?

[phkrause]

Understanding the Supreme Court immunity ruling The Supreme Court’s ruling Monday in former President Donald Trump’s 2020 election interference case makes it all but certain that the Republican won’t face trial in Washington before the November election. The Supreme Court didn’t dismiss the indictment as Trump had wanted, but the ruling still amounts to a major victory for him. Read more.

What to know: The timing of the trial matters because if Trump defeats Biden, he could appoint an attorney general who would seek the dismissal of this case and the other federal prosecutions he faces. Or Trump could potentially order a pardon for himself.   The court’s conservative majority said that former presidents have absolute immunity from prosecution for official acts that fall within their “exclusive sphere of constitutional authority.” The justices, for instance, wiped out special counsel Jack Smith’s use of allegations that Trump tried to use the investigative power of the Justice Department to undo the election results.   The three liberal justices — Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson — sharply criticized the majority’s opinion in scathing dissents, saying the majority decision makes presidents immune from prosecution for acts such as ordering Navy SEALs to assassinate a political rival, organizing a military coup to hold onto power or accepting a bribe in exchange for a pardon.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ 7 in 10 Americans think Supreme Court justices put ideology over impartiality: AP-NORC poll   The Supreme Court casts doubt on Florida and Texas laws to regulate social media platforms   Highlights from Supreme Court term: Rulings on Trump, regulation, abortion, guns and homelessness

[phkrause]

? Court kneecaps tech regulation

Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios

The Supreme Court's decision Friday limiting executive branch power also further hobbled U.S. government efforts to roll back Big Tech's power, Axios managing editor for tech Scott Rosenberg writes. Why it matters: Tech giants have long fueled efforts to pass new federal laws limiting the companies' influence. But now, and for a long time to come, advocates will need to find other ways to achieve that goal. Friday's decision essentially scuttles the regulatory strategy Congress has long used to establish rules for complex technical realms like healthcare, the environment and telecommunications. For 40 years, under a Supreme Court principle known as "Chevron deference," Congress has assumed it can draft broad principles establishing its goals and plans — and leave the complex implementation details to experts at executive-branch agencies. ? Zoom out: The court has struck at the heart of the Progressive Era ideal that experts in government with specialized knowledge can represent the public interest in conflicts with corporate power. Winners: No one has deeper pockets than Microsoft, Apple, Google, Meta and Amazon. They can keep expanding their legal budgets, defending themselves in court and doing whatever they want in the meantime. Whole generations of hardware and software can be born and die in the years it takes for a complex case to be tried, appealed and resolved. Losers: The activists and organizations that support stricter tech regulation just saw the goalposts move into the far distance.

[phkrause]

Presidential immunity

 

The Supreme Court ruled Monday that former President Donald Trump may claim immunity from criminal prosecution for some of the actions he took before leaving office. President Joe Biden condemned the decision, which ruled that presidents have absolute immunity from prosecution for core official acts, and issued a stern warning over a possible second term for Trump. "There are no kings in America. Each, each of us is equal before the law," Biden said in a speech from the White House. Biden warned the high court set a "dangerous precedent because the power of the office will no longer be constrained by the law even including the Supreme Court of the United States." The decision will likely delay Trump's federal election subversion trial related to his actions on January 6 even further.

 

Social media

 

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to settle major questions raised in a blockbuster dispute over laws intended to protect conservative viewpoints on social media. The decision delays a final ruling on whether it is unconstitutional for states to pass laws preventing online platforms from moderating their own websites. Republican governors in Texas and Florida previously argued that laws are needed to keep sites such as Facebook and Instagram from discriminating against conservatives. The justices' decision means the laws will remain blocked for now while lower courts continue to sort out the constitutional questions involved.

[phkrause]

I Saw the Grim Brutality of a Conservative Supreme Court Close Up

The announcement of the Presidential immunity decision today in Trump versus United States was a grim affair. As a first-time audience member for the announcements of high court opinions, I was surprised by the repeated “shushing” from SCOTUS security before the court session even started to an already quiet courtroom. Only very soft subdued conversations were happening mostly between lawyers who were sitting in the section reserved for members of the Supreme Court bar and there was almost no conversation in the public section.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/today-i-saw-the-grim-brutality-of-a-conservative-supreme-court-close-up?

[phkrause]

‘No kings in America’: Biden slams U.S. Supreme Court ruling granting Trump immunity

Monday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision granting the presumption of criminal immunity for official actions taken by a president fundamentally altered U.S. democracy, President Joe Biden said from the White House Monday evening.

https://floridaphoenix.com/2024/07/02/no-kings-in-america-biden-slams-u-s-supreme-court-ruling-granting-trump-immunity/?

[phkrause]

SCOTUS Ruling Allows President to Send Seal Team 6 to Kill Political Opponents?

"The president is now a king above the law," Justice Sotomayor wrote in a dissenting opinion.

https://www.snopes.com/news/2024/07/01/scotus-ruling-seal-team/?