There is a move on to bring ethics to the Supreme Court. Not to overstate the problem, because to be fair, aside from recent reports that Justice Clarence Thomas received as much as $4 million in gifts from new friends he made after his confirmation (Justice Jackson got Beyonce tickets valued at just over $3,700, but she reported them and will presumably recuse if any litigation about the BeyHive comes before the Court, just like
Rusty, I think there are a lot of others, including me, who would LOVE to confront Mrs. Flag and have a little "chat." Same goes for Mrs. Thomas, who's just as repulsive.
Meanwhile, there's no doubt in my mind that you could pretty much take care of yourself, if necessary! "You GO, girl!" [pretend smile face emoji]
Yeah when my adrenaline kicks in I don’t feel my pain as much. The 2nd tester shots are still holding up but I know it’s only for 4 more days. Didn’t do much for the foot and leg pain.
I went off on my neighbor tonight when she said you better hope TFG gets back in or we’ll all have slanted eyes. I said the only thing I want him to do is rot in jail and if that can’t happen someone better off him. She faked being a democrat from MD when I moved in. I think she better not bring it back up again. My feet and legs may not have been helped by those tester shots but I’m still a feisty B!
Actually, it would be great if she or you did bring it back up again. Let’s remember that Joyce Vance has titled her Substack posts as “civil discourse,” something that is sorely lacking in our national dialogue.
Yeah, my daughter is fluent too and had a response that I cannot replicate here since I don't speak Italian. But I am certain that she did not say "have a nice day!"
I cannot count how many times I've considered the possibility of this SCOTUS handing a contested election to Trump. The thought of us being doomed before we even vote is chilling.
The mere fact that you write “the Republicans on the Court” speaks volumes. If we were to have a legitimate court justices would not be so readily recognized as party members but rather exceptional thinkers that put the constitutional law forward with integrity that allows citizens to appreciate consistent rulings respecting the principles and values that have defined our country for nearly 250 years.
When Trump gets his loss in front of SCROTUS, he will win, 6-3. Just as Gore’s loss in 2000 was a 5-4 decision with Sandra Day O’connor voting for Bush(“I can’t wait another 4 years for a Republican president”) because her husband had Alzheimer’s and she needed to assist him, the court will follow along their POLITICAL parties.
The 2000 decision began the politicizing of the court in now most obvious terms.
There is only one constitutionally mandated profession, that of lawyer. You have the constitutional right to legal representation, hence the need for lawyers.
Most are good people, but for some, this constitutional mandate has gone to their head making them feel superior to the rest of us.
We don't have a constitutional right to an education, or health care, things I would argue are almost as important as legal representation, or perhaps more relevant to the average person.
Imposing term limits and an ethics code on Supreme Court Justices would, "take them down a notch", and maybe reinforce the idea that they are citizens first and their job doesn't place them in a superior position to the rest of us.
They have made sure to devalue education and educators, allowing the public to attack us for simply doing our jobs. They have attacked medical professionals for doing their jobs as well.
Placing education and health care on a par with legal representation might help deflate the Justice's egos.
As one who has never needed legal representation, but really appreciates education and teachers, and in my old age needs lots of health care, I think those two are far above legal representation. If we didn't have the constant attacks on our educational system, maybe we'd been in a better place. Maybe we as a country would know our actual, complete history, instead of the propaganda we've been fed (going at least as far back as the 1950s). I think that good education would help to destroy our extreme partisanship, and allow for more honesty in judicial appointment hearings.
Joyce, Thank you for your blunt assessment of the ethics and lack thereof in our current Supreme Court. We'd be aghast if Alito and Thomas were powerful judges in another country and would be demanding reform. Unfortunately, as you say, the GOP likes the SCOTUS rulings - ethics be damned. And GOP leaders and funders are counting on this court to allow and implement the extreme anti-democracy plans of Project 2025.
We pro-democracy activists have our work cut out for us as we defend our democracy and protect our freedoms.
I liked Joyce's recommendation that we contact not just our own Senators and Members of Congress, but also those who don't represent us. That never crossed my mind.
MOC's generally only take comments from their direct constituents. Maybe comment on "X" or call their office just know a zip code for their area if asked.
Senators generally take emails & messages from anyone I believe.
I just wrote an email to Sen Durbin via his official website. There was a statement regarding responses…only constituents are promised a response, but anyone can reach out.
Then Lindsey Graham should be scared sh*tless. While unwilling to admit it everyone knows he’s gay. Once “outed” he’ll be subject to any and every anti- LGTBQ+ legislation the GOP wants to pass and if passed the SCOTUS will uphold. Watch out Lindsey, you might “get what you’re asking for”!
These two should have lived in the time of the Wild, Wild West. Alito would make a perfect land baron who executed frontier justice and Thomas, well he is a suck up, so he'd probably find his place somewhere. But he wouldn't be as well kept.
The Constitution says that the President is elected for 4 years, so he cannot be removed from office unless impeached. Judges, on the other hand, are governed by a strikingly different standard under the Constitution. They may hold their offices only "during good behaviour" (good behavior). When judges and justices commit crimes, they should be convicted without the need to impeach them. Of course, judges have said that they must be impeached and removed from office before they can be tried for a crime. But our "originalist" justices (including Justices Alito and Thomas) should have no problem complying with the plain meaning of the plain language of Article III and the guidance of the Framers such as Alexander Hamilton in The Federalist No. 78. A justice lying or concealing information in proceedings within the jurisdiction of the legislative or judicial branches commits a federal offense. 18 U.S.C. 1001.
Thanks, Jack! Somebody needs to explain --- in words not exceeding two syllables --- to the Supremes and our ex-POTUS, what you've written here, and then go a step further. Make each swear out loud that they understand, and then make them sign on a dotted line that they do. That'll never happen, but I thought I'd throw it out there!
You were a little snarky at the beginning, Joyce. I loved that. I admire Sheldon Whitehouse’s unrelenting investigations into Leonard Leo, the Federalist Society, and the Heritage Foundation. I have told him so on X. What we have is an illegitimate court with the six injustices sitting in those seats. I do not hold Chief Roberts in high regard as he has taken the attitude that the public should not form an opinion regarding what he and his playmates’ decisions are. I will very surprised if the cases you mentioned go in our favor. I just don’t think they will. Perhaps that’s a good thing for a Biden victory, as more people will be angry. Well, here’s to tomorrow and Friday.
John Roberts' avowed attempt to keep the Court above the political fray has been an abysmal failure. Hard to properly call balls and strikes with a blindfold on.
There's the missing puzzle piece! Motor homes fall under all three categories; food, lodging and entertainment. There had to be a catch, there, somewhere...
I wonder how gifts equaling more than most people's lifetime income can be construed as unworthy of notation on one's ethics reporting and tax returns? Is Clarence also a tax scofflaw?
Strange - you and I are aware of that - somehow judges who sit on the highest court in this country are unaware of that fact! All their upper level educations seem to have never taught them ethics - surprise! Guess thats another change that should be made to college courses.
All of this makes it imperative that Democrats are elected down ballot which is just as important as reelecting Biden. If the Republicans control either chamber we are in for a lot of hurt.
Friday, 6/14, Morning 10:00 AM EDT: 3 more SCOTUS Opinions will Drop TODAY, Friday, 6/14/24.
Case 1: U.S. Trustee vs John Q. Hammons. This is a Bankruptcy case & the 10th Circuit is REVERSED 6-3 per a Justice Jackson Opinion.
Case 2: Campos vs. Garland: This is an immigration case where Alioto wrote the Opinion, a 5-4 ruling that "non-citizens" got adequate notice of removal from the U.S.with no legal remedy.
IMPORTANT CASE 3: GARLAND vs, CARGILL, the 'Bumpstock case - This is a Thomas Opinion. SCOTUS approves converting a Semi-Automatic gun into a "machine gun". It much easier to murder people quickly before the S.W.A.T. folks appear.
Justice SOTOMAYOR has Dissented.
Note: Majority & Dissent Opinions are available at the SCOTUS' homepage.
BIG NEWS: There is ruling Trump's bogus 'immunity claim' case which amounts to an effective "stay" to postpone Trump's J6 CRIMINAL Trial. No word on whether Justice Alit led the Justices in singing 'Happy Birthday 45" for those physically at the Court..
The next drop of SCOTUS case Opinions is next Thursday, 6/21. I will post same time on Civil Discourse. Ciao for Now.
Thursday Morning 10 AM Eastern UPDATE after Thursday Case Announced.:
SCOTUS dropped 3 Opinions today. The Big one is a unanimous (9-0) Opinion from Justice Kavanugh in FDA vs Alliance or Hippocratic (not) Medicine. MIFEPRISTONE is safe for now both legally & medically. Justice Kavanaugh read his Opinion from the Bench:
1. Plaintiffs have no right to challenge an FDA decision on mifepristone.
2. More specifically, Plaintiffs had no Article 2 standing.
3. No such thing as a "conscience injury".
Obviously, SCOTUS handles only "actual injuries" Full Stop. Apparently major TV Networks reported the BREAKING NEWS - mifepristone is still available! You may recall this case was an artificially manufactured case brought before a right-wing, partisan, single assignment, Judge who thought he knew more than the FDA.
PS: There are still 25 case to be published this term so the Court will drop more case tomorrow Friday at 10 AM EDT. Same place same station folks.
SCOTUS Opinion #2: Vidal vs. Ester. This was (past tense) a "Tademark" case where Mr. Ester attempted to use a person's name in a registered Trademark, that went down unanimously, 9 to zero-- NO. Mr. Ester's gambit "Trump too Small" is barred by the Lanham Act.
SCOTUS Case #3.: Starbucks vs. McKinney. This a procedural Labor Case re-affirming the NLRB's 4-Part-Test to obtain a Preliminary Injunction.
My Take: The hoops a litigant must jump over to get emergency equitable relief remain high & valid.
Tomorrow 6/13 at SCOTUSblog.com the SCOTUS watchers will get the captions of published Opinions & soon thereafter Links to actual opinions. I will post the case names of tomorrow's published Opinions here at Civil Discourse.
I don't think we will get the Trump Immunity case despite Alito's recorded non-specific statement that "media" will be unhappy with published opinions. SCOTUS has an effective "stay" on the case anyway.
This makes a lot of sense in a normal world but in a world where your next president may be a convict, ethics will become irrelevant. So if you want to maintain improved ethics standards in politics, government and the judiciary, make sure you vote out the criminals and liars and eliminate the dominant role of money in politics.
Channel your wish for election victories into writing to voters from home. Sign up for the campaigns you want and write postcards when and where you want.
These groups have campaigns available that do not give tight deadlines for getting postcards done.
I have been writing Senator Dick Durban regularly requesting that he both finally get the ethics passed and that he start investigations into impeaching Alito and Thomas even if he does not hav the votes to actually do it, it is important to do it anyway. It gets the issue into the news cycle. Actually, I did not even know that they did this, which means it is not getting into the news cycle. Thanks for reporting on this. I will let Durbin know I approve.
This is mind boggling? Why are university students so silent/passive to the corruption in the Supreme Court? While campus protests, although not unmerited, loom large over the Israel-Hamas war, surely students cannot turn a blind eye to the amorality of SCOTUS. Why not march on Washington? We did it before for the sake of Democracy and to ensure human rights of citizens?
Well, if there’s a conflict with Congress legislating ethical rules for Supreme Court justices, who wrote the rules for all other federal judges? I realize the issue is complex in that the Supreme Court has final say over constitutionality and the other federal courts are below that, but it doesn’t seem to me to be too much of a stretch to extend those rules to the Supreme Court even so.
While I’m less certain than I would have been in the past, I would think if they tried to overturn rules governing their ethics that would be the final straw for all those except lawmakers who will use any ends to justify their means to remake the country into the Christian Nationalist one it never was except in their fantasies.
Alas, you are of course correct. Neither the foul scavenger nor the lunatic ideologue (not sure which is which, or both!) will ever resign their positions, nor will they be impeached.
Much as I would like to see them be forced to admit their guilt, I would be happy if they were just forced to resign. They have no business being part of SCOTUS, given that they have personal agendas that they are pursuing, which have nothing to do with justice as most of us see it.
I hope by "sloth" you mean slow (sorry I happen to really love those animals). I agree that they both should be indicted and the Garland is way too cautious in what he does. His efforts to appear/be apolitical are understandable, but even though such indictments would certainly be viewed as political by some, they are not; they are a matter of law.
As a former prosecutor, I cannot imagine a gutless sluggard (better?) such as Rip van Garland to bring charges. His choice of special counsel to investigate Joe Biden was a choice made to make GARLAND look like he is above the fray. Stupid and foolish. And gutless. Like the man. He would have been much better on SCOTUS than as AG.
"Democrats tried to put the bill on a fast track to adoption, but of course, Senate Republicans blocked it. The Republicans claimed the bill was partisan politics."
So the GOP feels that ETHICS is prejudice to a particular cause?!?
Joyce, what scared me the most was hearing Alito tell Lauren Windsor that some decisions are FORTHCOMING that we won't like. Dear god.
And doesn't Mrs. Alito sound like someone you'd like to have coffee with? 🤢🤮
As Ayana Pressley aptly stated, "Alito won't tell his wife what to do, yet has no problem telling me what I can do with my body.
Hateful, scoffing, sneering man.
Love you all. ❤️
I’d like to confront Mrs. Alito. She’s never met a ticked off Irish, English, Cherokee with some Austrian in her.
Rusty, I think there are a lot of others, including me, who would LOVE to confront Mrs. Flag and have a little "chat." Same goes for Mrs. Thomas, who's just as repulsive.
Meanwhile, there's no doubt in my mind that you could pretty much take care of yourself, if necessary! "You GO, girl!" [pretend smile face emoji]
It sounds like the Alito neighbors are doing more than hiding behind the hedges! Good for them…keep it up!
Yeah when my adrenaline kicks in I don’t feel my pain as much. The 2nd tester shots are still holding up but I know it’s only for 4 more days. Didn’t do much for the foot and leg pain.
Hope you feel better soon.
About the only time adrenaline kicks in is whenever I see Trump's awful face or hear that voice.
I went off on my neighbor tonight when she said you better hope TFG gets back in or we’ll all have slanted eyes. I said the only thing I want him to do is rot in jail and if that can’t happen someone better off him. She faked being a democrat from MD when I moved in. I think she better not bring it back up again. My feet and legs may not have been helped by those tester shots but I’m still a feisty B!
Actually, it would be great if she or you did bring it back up again. Let’s remember that Joyce Vance has titled her Substack posts as “civil discourse,” something that is sorely lacking in our national dialogue.
Hope you feel some better - getting older is a b**tch, isnt it?
We’ll all have slanted eyes? I hope so, they’re beautiful.
So sorry. You need more adrenaline maybe?
I need a few new discs or a new spine and then I’ll be hell on my feet at 60.
Ginny Thomas is just batsh*t crazy.
I'm nearly 100% Scots. And some Viking mixed in there.
The Vikings were terrified of the Scots women, who would castrate Viking warriors and watch them bleed out. They went to England instead.
Beware, Mrs Alito.
Lol.
I’m a mix of Northern European according to Ancestry: Irish, English, French and German Jew.
But, I speak Italian, I spent my junior year at an Italian University, and I can give her a piece of my mind in Italian.
Vergogna?!? Vergogna a lei, Signora!
And so forth…
Yeah, my daughter is fluent too and had a response that I cannot replicate here since I don't speak Italian. But I am certain that she did not say "have a nice day!"
The decision I am most concerned about is that if Trump loses and does not accept the loss, that the Supreme Court will hand him the office of POTUS.
I cannot count how many times I've considered the possibility of this SCOTUS handing a contested election to Trump. The thought of us being doomed before we even vote is chilling.
I feel the same way! I do not trust Alito or the Republicans on Court as far as I can throw the John Hancock building.
The mere fact that you write “the Republicans on the Court” speaks volumes. If we were to have a legitimate court justices would not be so readily recognized as party members but rather exceptional thinkers that put the constitutional law forward with integrity that allows citizens to appreciate consistent rulings respecting the principles and values that have defined our country for nearly 250 years.
The nerve of Graham to get out there and cry partisan!
I was thinking about that too when I wrote that. That ideally we would not have such a sense of partisanship from the highest court in the land.
When Trump gets his loss in front of SCROTUS, he will win, 6-3. Just as Gore’s loss in 2000 was a 5-4 decision with Sandra Day O’connor voting for Bush(“I can’t wait another 4 years for a Republican president”) because her husband had Alzheimer’s and she needed to assist him, the court will follow along their POLITICAL parties.
The 2000 decision began the politicizing of the court in now most obvious terms.
We need to ensure the President Biden wins by a landslide victory!!!!
They will it be able to enforce it.
The only thing that surprises me about Madam Alito is that she doesn't have blue hair like all other Republican Madams "of an age."
No but she looks like the old hoes that hang around Maralago.
There is only one constitutionally mandated profession, that of lawyer. You have the constitutional right to legal representation, hence the need for lawyers.
Most are good people, but for some, this constitutional mandate has gone to their head making them feel superior to the rest of us.
We don't have a constitutional right to an education, or health care, things I would argue are almost as important as legal representation, or perhaps more relevant to the average person.
Imposing term limits and an ethics code on Supreme Court Justices would, "take them down a notch", and maybe reinforce the idea that they are citizens first and their job doesn't place them in a superior position to the rest of us.
They have made sure to devalue education and educators, allowing the public to attack us for simply doing our jobs. They have attacked medical professionals for doing their jobs as well.
Placing education and health care on a par with legal representation might help deflate the Justice's egos.
As one who has never needed legal representation, but really appreciates education and teachers, and in my old age needs lots of health care, I think those two are far above legal representation. If we didn't have the constant attacks on our educational system, maybe we'd been in a better place. Maybe we as a country would know our actual, complete history, instead of the propaganda we've been fed (going at least as far back as the 1950s). I think that good education would help to destroy our extreme partisanship, and allow for more honesty in judicial appointment hearings.
And arrogant. The sign of someone with limited intellect.
Ms. Alito's Jewish friends, if she has any, should tell her about chutzpah.
"Joyce, what scared me the most was hearing Alito tell Lauren Windsor that some decisions are FORTHCOMING that we won't like. Dear god."
Since Justice Alito thought he was talking with a fellow conservative, I'd actually take some heart from this exchange.
There's an express, "X trash" -- for various vulgar versions of X -- that seems to fit the Alitos to a tee.
Joyce, Thank you for your blunt assessment of the ethics and lack thereof in our current Supreme Court. We'd be aghast if Alito and Thomas were powerful judges in another country and would be demanding reform. Unfortunately, as you say, the GOP likes the SCOTUS rulings - ethics be damned. And GOP leaders and funders are counting on this court to allow and implement the extreme anti-democracy plans of Project 2025.
We pro-democracy activists have our work cut out for us as we defend our democracy and protect our freedoms.
I liked Joyce's recommendation that we contact not just our own Senators and Members of Congress, but also those who don't represent us. That never crossed my mind.
That's ok, I feel less than represented by those who DO represent us.
Yeah, me too since my House rep is the odious Gym Jordan.
Victoria, you have my sympathy. And I mean it in a nice way.
I don't have a rep. It was Ken Buck. So I didn't she have one before he quit.
And we're trying to keep Boebert out. Wish us luck.
I’m from Missouri, I have no representation. Zero.
David, I know the feeling.
And I'm from Texas… At least my area has a good representative in the House.
MOC's generally only take comments from their direct constituents. Maybe comment on "X" or call their office just know a zip code for their area if asked.
Senators generally take emails & messages from anyone I believe.
I just wrote an email to Sen Durbin via his official website. There was a statement regarding responses…only constituents are promised a response, but anyone can reach out.
“ the GOP likes the SCOTUS rulings”
Then Lindsey Graham should be scared sh*tless. While unwilling to admit it everyone knows he’s gay. Once “outed” he’ll be subject to any and every anti- LGTBQ+ legislation the GOP wants to pass and if passed the SCOTUS will uphold. Watch out Lindsey, you might “get what you’re asking for”!
These two should have lived in the time of the Wild, Wild West. Alito would make a perfect land baron who executed frontier justice and Thomas, well he is a suck up, so he'd probably find his place somewhere. But he wouldn't be as well kept.
He might have to work for a living 🤷♂️
The Constitution says that the President is elected for 4 years, so he cannot be removed from office unless impeached. Judges, on the other hand, are governed by a strikingly different standard under the Constitution. They may hold their offices only "during good behaviour" (good behavior). When judges and justices commit crimes, they should be convicted without the need to impeach them. Of course, judges have said that they must be impeached and removed from office before they can be tried for a crime. But our "originalist" justices (including Justices Alito and Thomas) should have no problem complying with the plain meaning of the plain language of Article III and the guidance of the Framers such as Alexander Hamilton in The Federalist No. 78. A justice lying or concealing information in proceedings within the jurisdiction of the legislative or judicial branches commits a federal offense. 18 U.S.C. 1001.
That "originalist" standard they espouse is so nuts. They twist it around like Gumby to suit their desired ends.
Thanks, Jack! Somebody needs to explain --- in words not exceeding two syllables --- to the Supremes and our ex-POTUS, what you've written here, and then go a step further. Make each swear out loud that they understand, and then make them sign on a dotted line that they do. That'll never happen, but I thought I'd throw it out there!
Excellent! Many thanks!
You were a little snarky at the beginning, Joyce. I loved that. I admire Sheldon Whitehouse’s unrelenting investigations into Leonard Leo, the Federalist Society, and the Heritage Foundation. I have told him so on X. What we have is an illegitimate court with the six injustices sitting in those seats. I do not hold Chief Roberts in high regard as he has taken the attitude that the public should not form an opinion regarding what he and his playmates’ decisions are. I will very surprised if the cases you mentioned go in our favor. I just don’t think they will. Perhaps that’s a good thing for a Biden victory, as more people will be angry. Well, here’s to tomorrow and Friday.
John Roberts' avowed attempt to keep the Court above the political fray has been an abysmal failure. Hard to properly call balls and strikes with a blindfold on.
Justice WOULD be blind. He sees. He just doesn't care.
There's the missing puzzle piece! Motor homes fall under all three categories; food, lodging and entertainment. There had to be a catch, there, somewhere...
I wonder how gifts equaling more than most people's lifetime income can be construed as unworthy of notation on one's ethics reporting and tax returns? Is Clarence also a tax scofflaw?
Yes, he is. Pretty funny that the guy known as a "Mau Mau Maoist" "Black Panther wannabe" in college is now House Boy to "Ol' Massa."
So Thomas (somehow cant give him the title of "judge") could just as well accept John Oliver's offer of a brand new RV!
Motor homes and parental homes don’t fall under any of those categories.
Strange - you and I are aware of that - somehow judges who sit on the highest court in this country are unaware of that fact! All their upper level educations seem to have never taught them ethics - surprise! Guess thats another change that should be made to college courses.
All of this makes it imperative that Democrats are elected down ballot which is just as important as reelecting Biden. If the Republicans control either chamber we are in for a lot of hurt.
I am not confident that voters understand the importance of down ballot voting. The local levels go🔺🔝up and it matters!
Friday, 6/14, Morning 10:00 AM EDT: 3 more SCOTUS Opinions will Drop TODAY, Friday, 6/14/24.
Case 1: U.S. Trustee vs John Q. Hammons. This is a Bankruptcy case & the 10th Circuit is REVERSED 6-3 per a Justice Jackson Opinion.
Case 2: Campos vs. Garland: This is an immigration case where Alioto wrote the Opinion, a 5-4 ruling that "non-citizens" got adequate notice of removal from the U.S.with no legal remedy.
IMPORTANT CASE 3: GARLAND vs, CARGILL, the 'Bumpstock case - This is a Thomas Opinion. SCOTUS approves converting a Semi-Automatic gun into a "machine gun". It much easier to murder people quickly before the S.W.A.T. folks appear.
Justice SOTOMAYOR has Dissented.
Note: Majority & Dissent Opinions are available at the SCOTUS' homepage.
BIG NEWS: There is ruling Trump's bogus 'immunity claim' case which amounts to an effective "stay" to postpone Trump's J6 CRIMINAL Trial. No word on whether Justice Alit led the Justices in singing 'Happy Birthday 45" for those physically at the Court..
The next drop of SCOTUS case Opinions is next Thursday, 6/21. I will post same time on Civil Discourse. Ciao for Now.
****************************************************************************
Thursday Morning 10 AM Eastern UPDATE after Thursday Case Announced.:
SCOTUS dropped 3 Opinions today. The Big one is a unanimous (9-0) Opinion from Justice Kavanugh in FDA vs Alliance or Hippocratic (not) Medicine. MIFEPRISTONE is safe for now both legally & medically. Justice Kavanaugh read his Opinion from the Bench:
1. Plaintiffs have no right to challenge an FDA decision on mifepristone.
2. More specifically, Plaintiffs had no Article 2 standing.
3. No such thing as a "conscience injury".
Obviously, SCOTUS handles only "actual injuries" Full Stop. Apparently major TV Networks reported the BREAKING NEWS - mifepristone is still available! You may recall this case was an artificially manufactured case brought before a right-wing, partisan, single assignment, Judge who thought he knew more than the FDA.
PS: There are still 25 case to be published this term so the Court will drop more case tomorrow Friday at 10 AM EDT. Same place same station folks.
SCOTUS Opinion #2: Vidal vs. Ester. This was (past tense) a "Tademark" case where Mr. Ester attempted to use a person's name in a registered Trademark, that went down unanimously, 9 to zero-- NO. Mr. Ester's gambit "Trump too Small" is barred by the Lanham Act.
SCOTUS Case #3.: Starbucks vs. McKinney. This a procedural Labor Case re-affirming the NLRB's 4-Part-Test to obtain a Preliminary Injunction.
My Take: The hoops a litigant must jump over to get emergency equitable relief remain high & valid.
That's All Folks.
************************************************************************************************
Tomorrow 6/13 at SCOTUSblog.com the SCOTUS watchers will get the captions of published Opinions & soon thereafter Links to actual opinions. I will post the case names of tomorrow's published Opinions here at Civil Discourse.
I don't think we will get the Trump Immunity case despite Alito's recorded non-specific statement that "media" will be unhappy with published opinions. SCOTUS has an effective "stay" on the case anyway.
Thanks, Bryan, for keeping us informed. I appreciate it.
Ditto!
This makes a lot of sense in a normal world but in a world where your next president may be a convict, ethics will become irrelevant. So if you want to maintain improved ethics standards in politics, government and the judiciary, make sure you vote out the criminals and liars and eliminate the dominant role of money in politics.
Channel your wish for election victories into writing to voters from home. Sign up for the campaigns you want and write postcards when and where you want.
These groups have campaigns available that do not give tight deadlines for getting postcards done.
https://www.commit2democracy.com/sign_up
https://www.activateamerica.vote/postcards
https://secure.everyaction.com/wWYzSycvi0uyLrKtsMnNXw2
https://postcards.markersfordemocracy.org/
www.postcardstovoters.org started it all; it has a 3-day turnaround for its postcard campaigns.
Onward!
Thanks for the links, Laurie! Just in time for me to switch to another state to send postcards to.
Wonderful, Lynell! Thanks for letting me know.
I have been writing Senator Dick Durban regularly requesting that he both finally get the ethics passed and that he start investigations into impeaching Alito and Thomas even if he does not hav the votes to actually do it, it is important to do it anyway. It gets the issue into the news cycle. Actually, I did not even know that they did this, which means it is not getting into the news cycle. Thanks for reporting on this. I will let Durbin know I approve.
This is mind boggling? Why are university students so silent/passive to the corruption in the Supreme Court? While campus protests, although not unmerited, loom large over the Israel-Hamas war, surely students cannot turn a blind eye to the amorality of SCOTUS. Why not march on Washington? We did it before for the sake of Democracy and to ensure human rights of citizens?
I have zero confidence that any of the forthcoming decisions will be of benefit to the United States or its people.
I'm feeling that way, too. Never thought this would happen. Not in a million years.
Well, if there’s a conflict with Congress legislating ethical rules for Supreme Court justices, who wrote the rules for all other federal judges? I realize the issue is complex in that the Supreme Court has final say over constitutionality and the other federal courts are below that, but it doesn’t seem to me to be too much of a stretch to extend those rules to the Supreme Court even so.
While I’m less certain than I would have been in the past, I would think if they tried to overturn rules governing their ethics that would be the final straw for all those except lawmakers who will use any ends to justify their means to remake the country into the Christian Nationalist one it never was except in their fantasies.
Alito must resign. Thomas must be impeached. Very simple.
They both should be tried as the traitors they are.
Alito won't resign, any more than Thomas will. If they are both impeached, it might encourage them to do so, as a way to escape accountability.
Alas, you are of course correct. Neither the foul scavenger nor the lunatic ideologue (not sure which is which, or both!) will ever resign their positions, nor will they be impeached.
Much as I would like to see them be forced to admit their guilt, I would be happy if they were just forced to resign. They have no business being part of SCOTUS, given that they have personal agendas that they are pursuing, which have nothing to do with justice as most of us see it.
If Garland were not such a sloth, he would indict them both for corruption. Certainly, Thomas has violated the tax laws.
I hope by "sloth" you mean slow (sorry I happen to really love those animals). I agree that they both should be indicted and the Garland is way too cautious in what he does. His efforts to appear/be apolitical are understandable, but even though such indictments would certainly be viewed as political by some, they are not; they are a matter of law.
Did not mean to demean sloths by association.
As a former prosecutor, I cannot imagine a gutless sluggard (better?) such as Rip van Garland to bring charges. His choice of special counsel to investigate Joe Biden was a choice made to make GARLAND look like he is above the fray. Stupid and foolish. And gutless. Like the man. He would have been much better on SCOTUS than as AG.
"Democrats tried to put the bill on a fast track to adoption, but of course, Senate Republicans blocked it. The Republicans claimed the bill was partisan politics."
So the GOP feels that ETHICS is prejudice to a particular cause?!?
Of course.