JUSTICES UNSURE OF GERRYMANDERING SOLUTION | Trump Puts JPS On Blast | SCOTUS Ready To Take A Turn To The Right
March 28, 2018
TODAY IN HISTORY
|On this day in 1955, JOHN MARSHALL HARLAN II was sworn in as an associate justice of the United States Supreme Court.
I GOT PROBLEMS AND SO DO YOU
|The justices this morning seemed conflicted over what to do about partisan gerrymandering. Hearing the second case this term on the issue, the Supreme Court this time heard an hour of arguments from Republican voters from Maryland who are challenging how Democrats drew a congressional district. It was clear that justices saw partisan gerrymandering as an issue needing solving, but they seemed to struggle with how to do so.
NO WAY JOSE
|ICYMI, former Supreme Court JUSTICE JOHN PAUL STEVENS opined in The New York Times this week that the Second Amendment should be repealed in order to minimize the risk of mass shootings in this country. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP took to Twitter today to blast back. He wrote: “THE SECOND AMENDMENT WILL NEVER BE REPEALED! As much as Democrats would like to see this happen, and despite the words yesterday of former Supreme Court Justice Stevens, NO WAY. We need more Republicans in 2018 and must ALWAYS hold the Supreme Court!”
TWEETS DU JOUR
|UCLA Law Professor, ADAM WINKLER, somewhat predicted the president’s response in a series of tweets posted yesterday in response to the JPS op-ed. Winkler was clear that he disagreed with the suggestion to repeal the Second Amendment, arguing that it wouldn’t have the meaningful impact necessary to curb gun violence and lead to broader gun reform. Among his messages Winkler also wrote, “Stevens’ call to repeal the 2A is not only ineffective but worse: it makes it even harder to pass good gun laws today. It plays right into the hands of the @nra which can now point to this op-ed and say, ‘See, we told you they want to take away your rights and your guns.'”
ED BOARD OVERTURE
|“Critics often accuse the National Rifle Association of paranoia for arguing that gun controllers want to eliminate the Second Amendment. Well, being paranoid doesn’t mean the NRA is wrong. Look no further than former Supreme Court JUSTICE JOHN PAUL STEVENS, who is arguing this week that the Parkland, Florida students and their allies shouldn’t settle for mere restrictions on guns.” That’s the Editorial Board of The Wall Street Journal weighing in on the JPS suggestion of the century.
TO THE RIGHT, THE RIGHT
|“As the White House and Congress descend deeper into turmoil, the US Supreme Court is showing signs of becoming as politically fractured as the rest of Washington. It may likewise be shifting more to the right.” That’s Joan Biskupic with CNN writing on the Supreme Court’s imminent turn to the political right, with strong indications that the term’s big decisions will come from a conservative majority. She also notes, “Historic delays in issuing decisions and at-times sharp jabs between justices on the bench also point to disharmony at a time when the Supreme Court could play a larger role in American life.”
EVERYBODY HURTS
|Amber Phillips with The Washington Post notes that today’s Maryland gerrymandering case comes as a reminder that both parties gerrymander…A LOT. “While it has mostly been Republican line-drawing at issue, it’s not because Republicans are scientifically proven to gerrymander more than Democrats. It’s simply a reflection of who was in power in states that let legislatures draw the lines after the 2010 census.”
OTHER NEWS
A Needle In A Legal Haystack Could Sink A Major Supreme Court Privacy Case
NPR“It looks like one of the marquee cases before the U.S. Supreme Court is about to go bust — sabotaged by a needle in a legislative haystack. The question in the case is whether a U.S. technology company can refuse to honor a court-ordered U.S. search warrant seeking information that is stored at a facility outside the United States. Oral arguments took place at the Supreme Court last month, and they did not go well for Microsoft, the tech giant that is challenging a warrant for information stored at its facility in Ireland.”
Texas Executes 'Suitcase Killer' Minutes After U.S. Supreme Court Rejects His Death Penalty Appeal
TIME“The execution was the fourth this year in Texas and seventh nationally. The U.S. Supreme Court, less than 30 minutes before Rodriguez was taken to the death chamber, rejected an appeal to block his punishment.”