Mark Joseph Stern @mjs_DC wrote:
Fascinating to hear the GOP Speaker of the House admit to having private conversations with multiple justices who expressed concern to him about Trump’s conviction. I’m sure those justices will recuse from any eventual appeal to avoid sitting on a case they’ve pre-judged.
Axios @axios wrote:
Mike Johnson is calling for the Supreme Court to "step in" to overturn the guilty verdict against Trump in his New York hush money trial.
"I know many of them personally – I think they are deeply concerned about that as we are." https://trib.al/4LapWeR
“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.” —John Adams
Josh Marshall
@joshtpm
GOPs are more & more open abt how SCOTUS works under GOP rule: a state court conviction for which no trial errors have yet been suggested, let alone ones that merit federal review. But Speaker knows Justices "personally" & is confident that they will shut the whole thing down.
A supreme court case about fisherman is flying under the radar, but could soon ‘create chaos’ For decades, the Chevron deference doctrine has given broad powers to federal agencies. Now it could be overturned – with major consequences
Gabrielle Canon
Sun 2 Jun 2024 15.00 CEST
The US supreme court is poised to decide the fate of a decades-old legal framework that has helped determine how the federal government regulates everything from pollution to financial markets.
With cases on abortion, homelessness and Donald Trump grabbing the spotlight, the so-called Chevron deference doctrine has flown somewhat under the radar. But it could be among the court’s most influential decisions this year, upending the way Congress legislates, how bureaucrats carry out presidential directives and how courts rule when conflicts arise over the regulatory process.
Named for a landmark 1984 case, the ruling upheld federal agencies’ authority to interpret laws when they are unclear. Defenders of the doctrine argue that it places important and complicated decisions in the hands of qualified agency experts, instead of potentially politicized regional courts and judges.
But in recent years, it has become the focus of ire on the political right, who see it as evidence of federal government overreach. The conservative-dominated court seems poised to strike down or limit the once-championed convention, with Justice Neil Gorsuch – joined by Justices Brett Kavanaugh, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito as outspoken detractors – writing in a 2022 dissent that “the whole project deserves a tombstone no one can miss”.
Now, the court has a chance to give it one. Here’s what you need to know:
I, for one, find it very difficult to believe that a Supreme Court Justice would tell obvious bald face lies to the publi... Oh who am I kidding, Alito is full of shit.
“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.” —John Adams
I don't know how much of this is new, and it may include some speculation. I don't know anything about the reputation for reliability of "Fix the Court."
A Staggering Tally: Supreme Court Justices Accepted Hundreds of Gifts Worth Millions of Dollars
Ahead of tomorrow’s expected release of the justices’ financial disclosure reports, Fix the Court today is unveiling a list of the gifts the justices have received over the years, and the numbers are staggering: in the last two decades (Jan. 2004-Dec. 2023), the justices have accepted 344 gifts valued at $2,993,036.
If one includes another 101 gifts that Justice Thomas likely received over those 20 years — mostly comprising free trips to and free stays at Bohemian Grove and Topridge worth $1,787,684 — that number jumps to 445 gifts valued at $4,780,720.
Justice Clarence Thomas acknowledged on Friday additional luxury travel he had accepted from a conservative billionaire, amending a previous financial disclosure to reflect trips he had taken to an Indonesian island and a secretive all-male club in the Northern California redwoods.
The trips, taken in 2019, were earlier revealed by ProPublica, but it is the first time that Justice Thomas has included them on his financial disclosures.
Other Supreme Court justices chronicled their gifts, travel and money earned from books and teaching. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson reported receiving four concert tickets valued at about $3,700 from Beyoncé and $10,000 of artwork for her chambers from the Alabama artist and musician Lonnie Holley.
The financial disclosures, released yearly, are one of the few public records available about the justices’ lives, providing select details of their activities outside the court. A steady drumbeat of revelations about ties between some of the justices and wealthy donors has only intensified interest in the reports, particularly after disclosures that Justice Thomas had accepted luxury travel and gifts from billionaire friends over decades.
Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. was granted an extension this year, said the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, which offers support for the federal judiciary and handles the financial records. That is in keeping with his typical practice. According to Fix the Court, an advocacy group critical of the court’s lack of transparency, for more than a decade he has delayed filing his disclosure.
“If everyone fought for their own convictions there would be no war.” ― Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace
Michael Fletcher @mefletcher54 wrote:
After 36 years of federal service, I had to buy my retirement cake because it was over the $25 gift limit.
True story.
Clarence Thomas took millions in what can only be described as bribes. He still serves on SCOTUS.
Also, a true story.
Fred Wellman @FPWellman wrote:
This is insane. Absolutely unacceptable. No other elected, appointed, or employee of the United States government at any level down to dog catcher is allowed to take in so much money and simply ignore the rules and ethics. John Roberts is overseeing the utter dismantling of respect for the Supreme Court.
“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.” —John Adams
No one gets $4M in gifts. Let's call this what it is and dispense with the gift nonsense, these are BRIBES.
“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.” —John Adams
Far-right fossil fuel company allies pressure US supreme court to shield firms in unprecedented campaign Groups linked to billionaire Leonard Leo, who seems to have ties to Chevron, are pressing the court to intervene in lawsuits that could cost billions
Dharna Noor
Sun 9 Jun 2024 12.00 CEST
Far-right fossil fuel allies have launched a stunning and unprecedented campaign pressuring the supreme court to shield fossil fuel companies from litigation that could cost them billions of dollars.
Some of the groups behind the campaign have ties to Leonard Leo, the architect of the rightwing takeover of the supreme court who helped select Trump’s supreme court nominees. Leo also appears to have ties to Chevron, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
“He’s really crafted the supreme court,” said Lisa Graves, executive director of the progressive watchdog group True North Research and an expert on Leonard Leo’s network.
Honolulu is one of 40 cities and states suing big oil for an alleged decades-long effort to sow doubt about the dangers of burning fossils. If successful, the case could force the defendants to pay for climate damages.
In October, the Hawaii supreme court ruled that the suit can go to trial. But oil companies petitioned the US supreme court in February to review the state court’s decision; they argued the cases should be thrown out because emissions are a federal issue that shouldn’t be tried in state courts.
Supreme court justices met on Thursday to consider whether or not to take up the fossil fuel companies’ request, and the justices could grant or reject the petition in the coming days.
Tom Arnold @TomArnold wrote:
Lauren Windsor goes undercover & films Trump enablers & famous politicians bragging about the illegal things they’re doing to help Trump overthrow democracy. Now she filmed a secret meeting at the Supreme Court with the insurrection flag loving, Roe overturning Justice, his crazy wife & far right donors. THIS IS HUGE!
Lauren Windsor @lawindsor wrote:
I have major news to drop tomorrow, and I don’t say that lightly. It’s likely the biggest undercover story yet of my career.
Follow me for all the updates.
“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.” —John Adams
Tom Arnold @TomArnold wrote:
Lauren Windsor goes undercover & films Trump enablers & famous politicians bragging about the illegal things they’re doing to help Trump overthrow democracy. Now she filmed a secret meeting at the Supreme Court with the insurrection flag loving, Roe overturning Justice, his crazy wife & far right donors. THIS IS HUGE!
Lauren Windsor @lawindsor wrote:
I have major news to drop tomorrow, and I don’t say that lightly. It’s likely the biggest undercover story yet of my career.
Tom Arnold @TomArnold wrote:
Lauren Windsor goes undercover & films Trump enablers & famous politicians bragging about the illegal things they’re doing to help Trump overthrow democracy. Now she filmed a secret meeting at the Supreme Court with the insurrection flag loving, Roe overturning Justice, his crazy wife & far right donors. THIS IS HUGE!
“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.” —John Adams
O.k., if people are deliberately putting up flags to piss them off, then they are as bad as the Alito's. A Pox on both their houses.
If that was a Trump flag you would be cheering her on because it annoys you. When you put up stuff just to stick a finger in the eye of people, thats not tolerance.
Philly Boondoggle