U.S. Supreme Court
Who can defend voting rights? A ruling sharply limiting lawsuits likely heading to Supreme Court
A federal appeals court in Arkansas ruled on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023, that only the federal government – not private citizens or civil rights groups – could sue to enforce the 1965 Voting Rights Act. This decision will likely be appealed to the Supreme Court – but if it stands, it could gut individual people’s […]
U.S. Supreme Court unveils new ethics code, but critics say it doesn’t go far enough
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court released a new ethics code Monday, just days before the Democrat-led U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary again attempts to subpoena two high-profile GOP donors following revelations that justices accepted undisclosed luxury trips and engaged in other potential conflicts of interest. Despite the headlines and the committee’s springtime request that Chief Justice John […]
U.S. Supreme Court considers case dealing with gun rights and domestic violence
WASHINGTON — U.S. Supreme Court justices during Tuesday’s oral arguments seemed to lean toward upholding a federal law that prevents the possession of firearms by a person who is subject to a domestic violence protective order. Liberal and conservative justices appeared to side with the Biden administration’s position that the 1994 federal law is in […]
U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan issues warning to AG investigating conservative donor Leonard Leo
U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-OH, is leveraging his leadership of the House Judiciary Committee to discourage an investigation into a conservative mega donor. Leonard Leo has gone from The Federalist Society to GOP judicial whisperer to the head of a sprawling, well-funded network of dark money organizations. Those political non-profits are at the center of […]
House Democrats seek to codify both same-sex and interracial marriage in Ohio
Democrats in the Ohio House want to change state law to bring it in line with federal legislation and court cases that legalized same-sex and interracial marriage. They are seeking the change to “create parity” in marriage law, but also for fear court precedent might be on the chopping block in the future. The bill, […]
Legislators in 49 states ask SCOTUS to preserve access to abortion pill
A group of more than 600 Democratic legislators from 49 states have signed an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court urging the justices to overturn an appellate court decision that would roll back access to mifepristone, one of two drugs used to safely terminate early pregnancies and treat miscarriages. The amicus brief, also called […]
Access to expensive fertility treatment in Ohio varies but the Issue 1 amendment seeks to protect it
Editor’s Note: This article is part of a series looking at the language of Ohio Issue 1 and the reproductive rights it would impact. The full language of the amendment can be found here. When Roe v. Wade was overturned in June 2022, the physicians at Ohio Reproductive Medicine took to their website, hoping to […]
Abortion rights advocates say consequences dire if SCOTUS declines to hear pill case
More than a year after the U.S. Supreme Court decided states could set their own abortion laws, including bans, the nation’s highest court now could cut off abortion access in states where abortion is still legal. The Supreme Court began its new term this week and has yet to announce whether it will hear Alliance for […]
U.S. Justice Department asks Supreme Court to take up abortion pill case
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Justice on Friday asked the Supreme Court to decide whether the abortion pill should remain on the market after two lower courts issued differing opinions about its use. The case, Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, will likely be the second time the conservative-leaning Supreme […]
Millions enrolled in new student loan repayment program
WASHINGTON — More than 4 million federal student loan borrowers are enrolled in the Biden administration’s new repayment program, according to figures released Tuesday by the Department of Education. This includes 181,400 Ohioans. With the pause of more than three years on federal student loan repayments coming to an end in October, and the Supreme […]
New federal water pollution rule draws mixed reaction
A federal rule limiting agencies’ power to regulate water pollution will severely restrict protections for waters and wetlands throughout the country, but could also be subject to challenges from conservative groups that maintain the new rule exerts more federal jurisdiction than the U.S. Supreme Court intended in a May decision. With the rule published Tuesday to redefine […]
It’s time to stand up to the oligarchy
Hardly a month goes by without news of billionaires lavishing gifts or favors on members of the U.S. Supreme Court. The latest revelation once again involved Justice Clarence Thomas, who reportedly has been traveling in private jets and luxury yachts to exotic destinations, paid for by a group of ultrawealthy benefactors. The fact that corruption grips the highest court […]