TRAVEL BAN GOES INTO EFFECT TONIGHT | Neil Gorsuch, Mr. Pushy
June 29, 2017
TODAY IN HISTORY
|On this day in 1972, the Supreme Court instituted what became a four-year ban on capital punishment in the United States. POLITICO’s Andrew Glass reports, “In Furman v. Georgia, the court ruled 5 to 4 that capital punishment, as it was then being levied on both the state and federal levels, violated the Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. A narrow majority of the justices held that the death penalty constituted ‘cruel and unusual punishment,’ basing their finding primarily on the ‘arbitrary and capricious ways’ it was being administered, particularly regarding race.”
IT'S HAPPENING, IT'S REALLY HAPPENING
|Following the Supreme Court’s ruling earlier this week, PRESIDENT TRUMP’S travel ban will go into effect this evening. But as NBC’s Meredith Mandell and Justin Maffett point out, there are still many aspects of its implementation that are yet to be decided. “Just how broadly or narrowly federal agencies charged with implementing the Supreme Court’s order will write the guidelines remains to be seen. Both DHS and the State Department had said they were waiting on the Department of Justice to clarify the Court’s decision and have largely remained mum on what the new guidelines may entail.”
BLESS UP FAM
|The State Department sent out new guidelines to consular officials worldwide yesterday that provided a narrow definition of “close family” to guide the implementation of the travel ban. Carol Morello with The Washington Post explains how exactly “close family” is defined and how any familial relationship must be proven in order to adhere to the policy.
GET READY TO RUMBLE
|USA Today’s Richard Wolf notes that the Supreme Court term that ended Monday was just the calm before the storm. We can expect some major headlines and blockbuster cases from the high court when they return to work for OT17.
MR. PUSHY
|Although he’s only been a Supreme Court justice for a couple months now, JUSTICE NEIL GORSUCH is already pushing SCOTUS to the right on religion, guns and gay rights. David Savage with the Los Angeles Times reports.
OTHER NEWS
The Supreme Court Partially Allowed Trump's Travel Ban. Who Is Still Barred?
The New York Times“The court granted an exception for people with “bona fide relationships” in the United States, and advocates and experts expressed uncertainty about how the Trump administration would implement the decision.”
California Supreme Court Leaves in Place Decision Upholding Cap-and-Trade System
Los Angeles Times“After more than four years, a legal challenge to California’s cap-and-trade program has reached an unsuccessful conclusion. The end came on Wednesday when the California Supreme Court declined to consider an appeal from business groups who consider the program to be an unconstitutional tax.”