NOTORIOUS RBG ALSO WANTS AMERICA TO BE GREAT AGAIN | Ted Cruz and Those “Bat-Crap Crazy” Libs | Fix The Court Sues DOJ Over FOIA Request
February 24, 2017
TODAY IN HISTORY
|On this day in 1803, the United States Supreme Court established its own power of judicial review in its decision in Marbury v. Madison. Nicandro Iannacci with Constitution Daily recounts the dramatic tale of the case referred to as an “elegant act of ‘judicial jujitsu.'”
BIGGIE SMALLS OUT FRONT
|The Supreme Court’s most notorious justice, RUTH BADER GINSBURG, told a packed auditorium at George Washington University yesterday that she has fully embraced her “Notorious R.B.G.” nickname. “It is really beyond extraordinary that I’m 84 years old and everyone wants to take a picture with me,” she said. (But Ruth, you’re only 83!) And when referring to her namesake, The Notorious B.I.G., she noted, “We have a lot in common.”
IT WAS THE BEST OF TIMES
|When speaking yesterday, GINSBURG asserted that the United States is not at its best right now because “we are not mindful of what makes America great.” She also added that she plans to do her supreme duty until she can no longer “do the job full steam.” RBG: “At my age, you have to take it year by year. I know I’m OK. What will be next year? I’m hopeful however, because my most senior colleague, the one who most recently retired, JUSTICE JOHN PAUL STEVENS, stepped down at age 90. So I have a way to go.”
ALL I KNOW IS EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE ALRIGHT
|Because we just can’t get enough, JUSTICE GINSBURG also sat down for a rare interview with BBC Newsnight Thursday, where she reiterated the importance of the free press, her plans for sticking around, and what concerns her most about American politics. She also mentioned the Women’s March, which drew crowds of millions of people from all around the world. “I’ve never seen such a demonstration — both the numbers and the rapport of the people in the crowd. There was no violence, it was orderly. So yes, we are not experiencing the best times but there is reason to hope that we will see a better day.”
ED BOARD OVERTURE
|In a piece titled, “If a bullet can cross the border into Mexico, so can the Constitution”, the Los Angeles Times Editorial Board responds to the SCOTUS case concerning the killing of a 15-year-old Mexican boy by a U.S. border control agent. LAT wants the boy’s family to get their day in court and urges the Supreme Court to make it happen.
I HAVE CLASS AND YOU DON'T
|“I think we’ll have another Supreme Court vacancy this summer. If that happens, as much as the left is crazy now, [Democrats] will go full Armageddon.” That’s what SENATOR TED CRUZ said yesterday at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) about those “bat-crap crazy” liberals. When Sean Sullivan with The Washington Post asked the senator to respond to his not-so-tasteful remark, Cruz gave no explanation. For The Washington Post, Aaron Blake offered up a few theories to explain where the comment came from — either he knows something we don’t, he knows nothing at all, or Cruz was just spitballing.
FTC SUES OVER FOIA
|Fix the Court, the nonpartisan Supreme Court watchdog, filed a lawsuit in federal court today against the U.S. Department of Justice for its failure to fulfill a Freedom of Information Act request concerning JUDGE NEIL GORSUCH that was filed at the end of last year. On December 22, FTC requested “copies of all complaints, correspondence and any performance reviews or reprimands” involving the Supreme Court nominee during his time as deputy assistant attorney general. The DOJ still has not provided any information regarding the request.
IT'S ALRIGHT NOW, BABY IT'S ALRIGHT NOW
|Supreme Court JUSTICE SONIA SOTOMAYOR will be on the road at Stanford University on March 10 speaking at a previously private talk that has been opened up to all Stanford faculty, staff and students. For those interested in attending that event over at The Farm, you can enter a ticket lottery today. Be fast – only lasts a couple of hours (10 AM PST – 12 PM PST).
OTHER NEWS
Trump's transgender move puts spotlight on Supreme Court case
Reuters“The Trump administration’s move on Wednesday to rescind guidance allowing transgender students to use the bathrooms of their choice has raised the stakes for an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court case that could deliver a landmark decision on the issue.”
Arkansas Supreme Court Strikes Down Local Anti-Discrimination Law
NPR“The Arkansas Supreme Court has struck down a local law that protected people in the city of Fayetteville from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.”
How Citizens United gave Republicans a bonanza of seats in U.S. state legislatures
The Washington Post“We find that Citizens United increased the GOP’s average seat share in the state legislature by five percentage points. That is a large effect — large enough that, were it applied to the past twelve Congresses, partisan control of the House would have switched eight times.”