Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Rights to bodily autonomy on the ballot in November as U.S. Supreme Court looks to overturn Roe
The foreboding of the late Supreme Court Justice has come to pass. Women are being denied decision-making power over their own lives. They are being dehumanized as lesser. Being robbed of bodily autonomy. Courts, lawmakers and physicians are deciding what’s best for pregnant women — after establishing that they lack the capacity and privilege to […]
The top 10 unforgettable moments of a tumultuous year in D.C.
WASHINGTON — To say that 2020 has been an eventful year in the nation’s capital is an understatement. Amid a global pandemic, a bitter race for the presidency and protests over police brutality, news in Washington never let up. As the year winds to an end, let’s take a look back at the moments of […]
Barrett nomination advances to the U.S. Senate floor with a GOP-only vote
WASHINGTON — Republicans on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday approved the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, as Democrats boycotted the markup in a show of protest. The 12 Republicans on the panel speedily voted on Barrett’s nomination and sent it to the Senate floor. The full Senate will […]
Namesakes in landmark gay marriage case oppose Barrett’s confirmation to Supreme Court
Sen. Brown on court packing: ‘All things are on the table’ The namesakes from the 2015 landmark case Obergefell v. Hodges warn that confirming Amy Coney Barrett to fill an open Supreme Court justice seat could have “drastic” implications for the LGBTQ+ community. Five years after their case led to same-sex marriages becoming legal across […]
Supreme Court nominee Barrett to Grassley: No one has asked me to rule against the health care law
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley asked Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett on Tuesday whether she has made any promises to vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act, as he sought to counter arguments from Democratic senators that she would unravel the landmark health care law. Barrett told the Iowa Republican that no one in the […]
Supreme Court confirmation hearings to plow ahead amid COVID-19 infections
Federal Judge Amy Coney Barrett will face the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee beginning Monday for what’s expected to be an unusual and contentious four days of hearings on her nomination for the Supreme Court. Democrats sought unsuccessfully to block those hearings, raising concerns about the short time frame before Election Day, the urgent need to […]
Trump and McConnell’s mostly white male judges buck 30-year trend of increasing diversity
In nominating Amy Coney Barrett to replace the late justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, President Donald Trump fulfilled his pledge to put another woman on the U.S. Supreme Court. But most of the 218 judges Trump has so far appointed to the federal judiciary – with the steadfast collaboration of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell – […]
‘I just don’t trust the system any more.’ Voters on edge as election nears.
WASHINGTON — Widespread anxiety and confusion around voting, compounded by the pandemic that has spread to millions of Americans, including President Donald Trump. A vastly underfunded and decentralized electoral system that could take days and possibly weeks to certify results. Attempts to suppress voting, interfere with elections and cast doubt on the integrity of mail-in […]
Grief over Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and dread for what comes next
Bereft. That’s the only word I can think of that fits how I felt at the news of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death. It’s not just about the loss of a stalwart warrior for equality and justice for people like me. Without Ginsburg, perhaps our country still would not recognize a constitutional right against sex […]
Trump picks Amy Coney Barrett for the Supreme Court, and D.C. girds for a fight
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump at the White House on Saturday introduced federal appeals court Judge Amy Coney Barrett as his Supreme Court nominee, setting off a confirmation battle that could secure a conservative court for generations. “She is a woman of unparalleled achievement, towering intellect and sterling credentials and unyielding loyalty to the Constitution,” […]
Trump reportedly ready to tap Amy Coney Barrett for the Supreme Court
President Donald Trump plans to nominate federal appeals court Judge Amy Coney Barrett to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, according to several media reports. Barrett, 48, is a judge for the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago, Ill. She was appointed to the position by Trump […]
Control over the federal courts is about raw political power, nothing more
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has used his leadership position to exercise raw political power in shaping the federal judiciary for many decades to come, and he’s been enormously successful. The death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has brought McConnell to the zenith of that power. A question never existed as to whether he […]