SCOTUS Watch

For discussion of religion and politics

Moderators: LawBeefaroni, $iljanus

Post Reply
User avatar
Unagi
Posts: 26376
Joined: Wed Sep 20, 2006 5:14 pm
Location: Chicago

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by Unagi »

Carpet_pissr wrote: Sun Apr 30, 2023 6:49 pm And Crowe and Thomas were probably watching that, together, laughing right along with everyone else. ‘It’s funny because it’s true!!! LOL!’
I know. I don't understand how that group can listen to some of these truth-jokes and actually laugh... Although, ironically, I think some are only laughing to be polite - and they find it horrifying. *(not a lot of em, but some)
User avatar
Carpet_pissr
Posts: 19980
Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2004 5:32 pm
Location: Columbia, SC

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by Carpet_pissr »

The bigger horror imo is that the culprits themselves are likely laughing, instead of saying ‘oh, shit, we got busted, and everyone knows (so much so that now our shenanigans are the butt of jokes!’
malchior
Posts: 24794
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:58 pm

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by malchior »

RIght. Embarrassment is a cost best not paid but they'll move on and change nothing. They are unethical or don't see it as unethical but in any case they just don't care and will refuse to change since there are no real consequences that matter to them.
User avatar
Defiant
Posts: 21045
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:09 pm
Location: Tongue in cheek

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by Defiant »

The Supreme Court on Monday announced it will hear a case that could significantly scale back federal agencies’ authority, with major implications for the future of environmental and other regulations.

The justices next term will consider whether to overturn a decades-old precedent that grants agencies deference when Congress left ambiguity in a statute.

Named for the court’s decision in Chevron U.S.A. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, the Chevron deference has become one of the most frequently cited precedents in administrative law since the decision was first handed down in 1984.

It involves a two-step test: First, judges decide if Congress has in the statute directly spoken to the precise question at issue. If it is ambiguous, courts defer to agencies as long as their actions are based on a “permissible construction.”
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/supreme ... 50702.html
User avatar
Smoove_B
Posts: 54567
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:58 am
Location: Kaer Morhen

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by Smoove_B »

Some of the high court’s conservatives have raised concern about the precedent and how it has expanded the reach of agencies’ authority.
How very Susan Collins of them. So weird how settled case law from 40 years ago is sudden en vogue.
Maybe next year, maybe no go
malchior
Posts: 24794
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:58 pm

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by malchior »

This like many things is almost a quaint throwback to when American was a functioning democracy. The tyrants have already signaled to some degree that if 5 of them don't like something then it isn't legal (aka the made up "Major Questions" bullshit). Might as well get it over with and make it official.
malchior
Posts: 24794
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:58 pm

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by malchior »

I knew things would get bad but this is something I don't think I'd ever hear from a US Senator out loud.

User avatar
Carpet_pissr
Posts: 19980
Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2004 5:32 pm
Location: Columbia, SC

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by Carpet_pissr »

Yet truly needed to be said. More need to say it.
User avatar
LawBeefaroni
Forum Moderator
Posts: 55316
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2004 3:08 pm
Location: Urbs in Horto, outrageous taxes on everything

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by LawBeefaroni »

He can say it all day. But he's the Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, he should be acting on it. I like Durbin but that committee got us into this mess. Granted, under Grassley and Graham who are still members. The court is shredding all sense of ethics, morality, and decorum and yet he's sitting down with the villains who created this shit. Yes, he's talking game but how the fuck is Chuck Grassley still out there slamming any idea of ethics reform as a ranking member of the Senate Judiciary?
" Hey OP, listen to my advice alright." -Tha General
"No scientific discovery is named after its original discoverer." -Stigler's Law of Eponymy, discovered by Robert K. Merton

MYT
malchior
Posts: 24794
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:58 pm

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by malchior »

He has no say over whether Grassley is on the committee or not. Each party decides who sits on which committee. I see a lot of people firing at Durbin but he is essentially powerless about the issues he faces whether that be Feinstein (and her endless case of shingles) or which Republicans are there. All he can do is speak which is what he is doing.
User avatar
LawBeefaroni
Forum Moderator
Posts: 55316
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2004 3:08 pm
Location: Urbs in Horto, outrageous taxes on everything

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by LawBeefaroni »

malchior wrote: Tue May 02, 2023 6:56 pm He has no say over whether Grassley is on the committee or not. Each party decides who sits on which committee. I see a lot of people firing at Durbin but he is essentially powerless about the issues he faces whether that be Feinstein (and her endless case of shingles) or which Republicans are there. All he can do is speak which is what he is doing.
I'm not saying he can, or should, kick anyone off the committee. But he should definitely kick the cane out from under Grassley every time he ambles in the room.



In seriousness, it's a rigged game. The GOP constantly bends rules, breaks norms, and lies, cheats, and steals. Yes, all politicians do this to some degree but they have institutionalized and weaponized it. You don't fight that by strict adherence to the rules. You have to innovate.
" Hey OP, listen to my advice alright." -Tha General
"No scientific discovery is named after its original discoverer." -Stigler's Law of Eponymy, discovered by Robert K. Merton

MYT
malchior
Posts: 24794
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:58 pm

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by malchior »

Agree with you there - it does feel rigged. This is a problem with the Democrats. They've been completely incapable or willing to deal with this threat. They just always accept the outcome the Republicans deal out.
User avatar
Unagi
Posts: 26376
Joined: Wed Sep 20, 2006 5:14 pm
Location: Chicago

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by Unagi »

malchior wrote: Tue May 02, 2023 11:02 am I knew things would get bad but this is something I don't think I'd ever hear from a US Senator out loud.

Dick Durbin has long been a totally boring and totally correct Senator (+25 years and no scandals!!) . Another "Hooray" for Illinois led by Democrat urban voters in and around Chicago. (without whom, that voice would not exist)
There is a (D) that would make a great President, but, alas - probably couldn't get enough people to care. I'm a big fan of Dick Durbin.
User avatar
Unagi
Posts: 26376
Joined: Wed Sep 20, 2006 5:14 pm
Location: Chicago

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by Unagi »

Unagi wrote: Tue May 02, 2023 10:21 pm (+25 years and no scandals!!)
Someone will probably correct me, but I honestly think this guy has been 'perfectly ordinary, genuine, and legit' his entire political career.
User avatar
LawBeefaroni
Forum Moderator
Posts: 55316
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2004 3:08 pm
Location: Urbs in Horto, outrageous taxes on everything

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by LawBeefaroni »

malchior wrote: Tue May 02, 2023 7:06 pm Agree with you there - it does feel rigged. This is a problem with the Democrats. They've been completely incapable or willing to deal with this threat. They just always accept the outcome the Republicans deal out.
"Justice Roberts, tell the Committee exactly what the hell is going on and what we can do about it!"

"Thank you, but no. Peace."

"Um, OK."
" Hey OP, listen to my advice alright." -Tha General
"No scientific discovery is named after its original discoverer." -Stigler's Law of Eponymy, discovered by Robert K. Merton

MYT
User avatar
LordMortis
Posts: 70101
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:26 pm

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by LordMortis »

LawBeefaroni wrote: Wed May 03, 2023 1:52 pm
malchior wrote: Tue May 02, 2023 7:06 pm Agree with you there - it does feel rigged. This is a problem with the Democrats. They've been completely incapable or willing to deal with this threat. They just always accept the outcome the Republicans deal out.
"Justice Roberts, tell the Committee exactly what the hell is going on and what we can do about it!"

"Thank you, but no. Peace."

"Um, OK."
In his letter inviting Roberts to testify, Durbin noted that Roberts’ “last significant discussion of how Supreme Court Justices address ethical issues was presented” in his 2011 year-end report. “Since then,” Durbin continued, “there has been a steady stream of revelations regarding Justices falling short of the ethical standards expected of other federal judges.” The Supreme Court’s “decade-long failure to address them has contributed to a crisis of public confidence,” Durbin concluded.

Roberts’ letter explained that testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee by chief justices has been “exceedingly rare – as one might expect,” he suggested, “in light of concerns” about judicial independence and the division of power among the three branches of government.
LOL. No. Wait. That's not funny. Roberts' Supreme Court legit could be the end of this country. When respect for the jurists of highest law of the land is completely eroded, what is left? Roberts' independence in spite of scandal after scandal after scandal after scandal after scandal after... is him claiming mafialike Popehat.
malchior
Posts: 24794
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:58 pm

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by malchior »

Another major test of SCOTUS - Oklahoma is so broken they can't call off the execution of a man that is almost certainly innocent. SCOTUS in the interest of justice should intervene. If not, then we perhaps we should work to outlaw capital punishment because our system is too broken to remedy abuses once uncovered that lead to the death of the innocent.
On Monday, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, a Republican, filed a truly remarkable document in the Supreme Court.

“The State of Oklahoma recently made the difficult decision to confess error and support vacating the conviction of Richard Glossip,” the document reads, referring to a death row inmate scheduled to be executed on May 18. But because other parts of the state government don’t agree, and Oklahoma’s attorney general does not have the power to lift Glossip’s death sentence on his own, Drummond is now begging the Supreme Court of the United States to save Glossip’s life.

It’s a bizarre case, where the state’s top prosecutor, who is also the official empowered to speak on behalf of the state in court, can’t actually stop an execution. But he can use the state’s voice to urge the justices to stop that same state from committing a massive injustice.

The case against Glossip, who was convicted for allegedly hiring a coworker to kill his boss in 1997, now lies in shambles. In 2022, Reed Smith LLP, a law firm commissioned by a committee of state lawmakers, released a 343-page report detailing its investigation into Glossip’s conviction and the many errors that led to Glossip being sentenced to die. Its conclusion is scathing:

The State’s destruction and loss of key evidence before Glossip’s retrial deprived the defense from using the evidence at trial (and has deprived the defense today of the ability to perform forensic testing using DNA and technology advancements), the tunnel‐vision and deficient police investigation, the prosecution’s failure to vet evidence and further distortion of it to fit its flawed narrative, and a cascade of errors and missed opportunities by defense attorneys, fundamentally call into question the fairness of the proceedings and the ultimate reliability of the guilty verdict against Glossip for murder.

This report is bolstered by a separate investigation, conducted at Drummond’s request by Rex Duncan, a former district attorney and Republican state lawmaker. Duncan concluded that “Glossip was deprived of a fair trial in which the State can have confidence in the process and result.”

Nevertheless, Drummond has struggled to find someone — anyone — with the power to cure this injustice who is willing to do so. Oklahoma’s Court of Criminal Appeals denied his request to toss out Glossip’s execution, claiming that a crucial piece of new evidence undermining Glossip’s conviction “does not create a reasonable probability that the result of the proceeding would have been different.” Then the state parole board split 2-2 on whether to grant clemency to Glossip, with one member recused because his wife was one of the prosecutors at Glossip’s trial.
malchior
Posts: 24794
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:58 pm

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by malchior »

The Thomas scandal keeps getting worse. Enough. Thomas needs to go.

Harlan Crow paid for Thomas' nephew's private school tuition
In 2008, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas decided to send his teenage grandnephew to Hidden Lake Academy, a private boarding school in the foothills of northern Georgia. The boy, Mark Martin, was far from home. For the previous decade, he had lived with the justice and his wife in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. Thomas had taken legal custody of Martin when he was 6 years old and had recently told an interviewer he was “raising him as a son.”

Tuition at the boarding school ran more than $6,000 a month. But Thomas did not cover the bill. A bank statement for the school from July 2009, buried in unrelated court filings, shows the source of Martin’s tuition payment for that month: the company of billionaire real estate magnate Harlan Crow.
malchior
Posts: 24794
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:58 pm

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by malchior »

User avatar
LordMortis
Posts: 70101
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:26 pm

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by LordMortis »

Justin Elliott
“Harlan Crow has long been passionate about the importance of quality education and giving back to those less fortunate, especially at-risk youth.”
$72,000 a year to the less fortunate nephew raised by a SC justice who takes half million dollar vacations on someone else dime and has his properties paid for and... It's like he's trying to challenge McConnell for worst American in my lifetime and when all is revealed, he might "win" at this pace he is moving.
malchior
Posts: 24794
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:58 pm

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by malchior »

Thomas is absolutely the most corrupt Supreme Court justice we know about now and this broken, corrupt system is doing nothing about it.
User avatar
LordMortis
Posts: 70101
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:26 pm

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by LordMortis »

How is this not daily news at this point? I mean the coke can pubic hair was on the front of the news for months.
malchior
Posts: 24794
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:58 pm

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by malchior »

It is daily news. MSNBC covered it, WaPo has a story following the ProPublica story already. There is just too much happening at the same time. It's all a mélange of noise. We're buried in daily scandals now. And the reality is that the politicians have picked their voters so they just refuse to act because they're not in danger of being replaced. We're in a very odd place now. We're not an autocracy but we're also not really a functional democracy or republic either. It's hard to stress how badly things are broken here, but we're stuck, and I expect it will eventually end in bloodshed.
User avatar
Octavious
Posts: 20035
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2004 2:50 pm

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by Octavious »

You should be focusing on Bud Light damn it! It's literally been their main story for like 2 weeks now. I really don't like this timeline and would like to unsubscribe.
Capitalism tries for a delicate balance: It attempts to work things out so that everyone gets just enough stuff to keep them from getting violent and trying to take other people’s stuff.

Shameless plug for my website: www.nettphoto.com
User avatar
LordMortis
Posts: 70101
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:26 pm

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by LordMortis »

Octavious wrote: Thu May 04, 2023 9:22 am You should be focusing on Bud Light damn it! It's literally been their main story for like 2 weeks now. I really don't like this timeline and would like to unsubscribe.
I have seen that on the front page more than the total of the SC justice ethics questions in the last month.
User avatar
$iljanus
Forum Moderator
Posts: 13676
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 3:46 pm
Location: New England...or under your bed

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by $iljanus »

LordMortis wrote: Thu May 04, 2023 8:33 am
Justin Elliott
“Harlan Crow has long been passionate about the importance of quality education and giving back to those less fortunate, especially at-risk youth.”
$72,000 a year to the less fortunate nephew raised by a SC justice who takes half million dollar vacations on someone else dime and has his properties paid for and... It's like he's trying to challenge McConnell for worst American in my lifetime and when all is revealed, he might "win" at this pace he is moving.
I guess I should expand my definition of “at risk youth”.
Black lives matter!

Wise words of warning from Smoove B: Oh, how you all laughed when I warned you about the semen. Well, who's laughing now?
malchior
Posts: 24794
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:58 pm

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by malchior »

$iljanus wrote: Thu May 04, 2023 9:29 am
LordMortis wrote: Thu May 04, 2023 8:33 am
Justin Elliott
“Harlan Crow has long been passionate about the importance of quality education and giving back to those less fortunate, especially at-risk youth.”
$72,000 a year to the less fortunate nephew raised by a SC justice who takes half million dollar vacations on someone else dime and has his properties paid for and... It's like he's trying to challenge McConnell for worst American in my lifetime and when all is revealed, he might "win" at this pace he is moving.
I guess I should expand my definition of “at risk youth”.
Children of 'at risk youth' of powerful people certainly are at risk of picking up their familial elder's ethical views.
Last edited by malchior on Thu May 04, 2023 9:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
LawBeefaroni
Forum Moderator
Posts: 55316
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2004 3:08 pm
Location: Urbs in Horto, outrageous taxes on everything

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by LawBeefaroni »

Sonic Youth, ca. 1992 wrote:Black robe and swill,
I believe Anita Hill
Judge will rot in hell,
It's the song I hate, it's the song I hate.
" Hey OP, listen to my advice alright." -Tha General
"No scientific discovery is named after its original discoverer." -Stigler's Law of Eponymy, discovered by Robert K. Merton

MYT
User avatar
LawBeefaroni
Forum Moderator
Posts: 55316
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2004 3:08 pm
Location: Urbs in Horto, outrageous taxes on everything

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by LawBeefaroni »

Dont worry, the House Judiciary is still on it!

House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) launched an investigation into directions given to U.S. marshals to not arrest protesters outside Supreme Court justices’ homes after a draft decision overturning federal abortion protections was leaked.

He pointed to a federal law that prohibits demonstrations that intend to interfere with or influence judges.
Clearly, the only legal, acceptable way to interfere with and influence judges is by buying them shit.

Exercising First Amendment rights to protest their lies and corruption is bad, OK? Nevermind that this has never been used to stop the countless protests in front of the Court before. The law doesn't give special protection to judges' residences, as far as I can tell.
" Hey OP, listen to my advice alright." -Tha General
"No scientific discovery is named after its original discoverer." -Stigler's Law of Eponymy, discovered by Robert K. Merton

MYT
User avatar
Smoove_B
Posts: 54567
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:58 am
Location: Kaer Morhen

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by Smoove_B »

Just so I'm clear, if there was a county or state case involving a judge that was as compromised as Justice Thomas, a lawyer would move for a bad court thingy, right? And all the cases that came before that judge would likely be reviewed and there would be a whole production involved given the circumstances? But I guess when your a SCOTUS, they let you do it. You can do anything.
Maybe next year, maybe no go
malchior
Posts: 24794
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:58 pm

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by malchior »

This is where I break with the Durbin's and Whitehouse's on the Democratic side of the Senate. Why are they just bloviating at this point? Make a public call for Thomas to resign. If this was a liberal judge we'd have Ted Cruz jumping up and down from the get go yelling 'RESIGN! RESIGN! RESIGN!'. They don't have to ape that but we have ample evidence now of corruption. Worse by far than Abe Fortas. Much worse. They need to strap on the big boy pants and start calling for a resignation. I can't even deal with how they can't provide EVEN BASIC LEADERSHIP anymore. Yes, they can't get him Impeached and Removed but they still have voices and platforms at their disposal. Throwing some blame John Roberts way is fair but they also own it when they don't do all they could do.

User avatar
Unagi
Posts: 26376
Joined: Wed Sep 20, 2006 5:14 pm
Location: Chicago

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by Unagi »

malchior wrote: Thu May 04, 2023 10:25 am This is where I break with the Durbin's and Whitehouse's on the Democratic side of the Senate. Why are they just bloviating at this point? Make a public call for Thomas to resign. If this was a liberal judge we'd have Ted Cruz jumping up and down from the get go yelling 'RESIGN! RESIGN! RESIGN!'. They don't have to ape that but we have ample evidence now of corruption. Worse by far than Abe Fortas. Much worse. They need to strap on the big boy pants and start calling for a resignation.
I agree.
malchior
Posts: 24794
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:58 pm

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by malchior »

On the flip side we have this shamelessness.

User avatar
Isgrimnur
Posts: 82093
Joined: Sun Oct 15, 2006 12:29 am
Location: Chookity pok
Contact:

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by Isgrimnur »

A 51-yo white politician from Utah should never play the race card.
It's almost as if people are the problem.
User avatar
LawBeefaroni
Forum Moderator
Posts: 55316
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2004 3:08 pm
Location: Urbs in Horto, outrageous taxes on everything

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by LawBeefaroni »

malchior wrote: Thu May 04, 2023 10:43 am On the flip side we have this shamelessness.

I see that as a dark threat. Winners write history, after all, and if the GOP has its way the only history books anyone will be reading will be on their approved reading list.


"Do you want to be on the wrong side of our history? You really don't want to be on the wrong side of our history."
" Hey OP, listen to my advice alright." -Tha General
"No scientific discovery is named after its original discoverer." -Stigler's Law of Eponymy, discovered by Robert K. Merton

MYT
malchior
Posts: 24794
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:58 pm

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by malchior »

This is what passes as a defense from the right. These people are utterly shameless hypocrites. You can't win against these type of tactics by passively reacting to events.

User avatar
ImLawBoy
Forum Admin
Posts: 14950
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 9:49 pm
Location: Chicago, IL
Contact:

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by ImLawBoy »

malchior wrote: Thu May 04, 2023 11:55 am This is what passes as a defense from the right. These people are utterly shameless hypocrites. You can't win against these type of tactics by passively reacting to events.

And the attack is coming from inside the Court!!!
That's my purse! I don't know you!
User avatar
LordMortis
Posts: 70101
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:26 pm

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by LordMortis »

This is an intentionally deceptive tweet.
Self referential. Doug Hofstadter would be proud.
User avatar
$iljanus
Forum Moderator
Posts: 13676
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 3:46 pm
Location: New England...or under your bed

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by $iljanus »

malchior wrote: Thu May 04, 2023 10:43 am On the flip side we have this shamelessness.

I think we've made enormous progress in this country when a black man can rise to a position of power and take all sorts of dubious financial gifts like a white guy. Isn't that part of MLK's dream? :wink:
Black lives matter!

Wise words of warning from Smoove B: Oh, how you all laughed when I warned you about the semen. Well, who's laughing now?
malchior
Posts: 24794
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 12:58 pm

Re: SCOTUS Watch

Post by malchior »

One thing I've noticed is that this has rallied the MAGA base to raise ever sillier arguments to paint this stuff as an extreme attack on the court. The fact is that with a sizable base of MAGA out there willing to excuse completely outrageous behavior we have little to no chance of returning to normal governance. That should be obvious now but people keep hoping that Trump goes and things get better. They won't. He isn't a singular threat. We have a major, extremely powerful reactionary movement in this country and despite having lots of the power they feel aggrieved by attempts to properly put their actions in context. They feel aggrieved that people don't respect their repulsive views on human rights. They feel aggrieved and angry and they continue to attack our democracy because they won't accept that we don't want to live the way they demand. We've got major, major problems that we simply aren't facing.
Post Reply