Author: Lawrence Hurley
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Biden calls draft abortion ruling ‘radical’ as court probes leak
WASHINGTON • President Joe Biden on Tuesday criticized as “radical” a draft U.S. Supreme Court decision that would overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide, a bombshell that was denounced by Democrats and stunned even some moderate Republicans. The court confirmed that the text, published late on Monday by the…
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Supreme Court nominee Jackson deflects Republican attacks
WASHINGTON • Republicans on Wednesday pressed their attacks on a range of issues against Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Joe Biden’s nominee to become the first Black woman on the U.S. Supreme Court, as she inched closer to the end of an intense two days of questioning with Democrats coming to her defense. Jackson, who had…
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Supreme Court nominee defends her record
WASHINGTON • Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Joe Biden’s U.S. Supreme Court nominee, on Tuesday defended her past legal representation of Guantanamo Bay detainees, rejected Republican accusations that she had been lenient as a judge in child pornography cases and vowed to “stay in my lane” if confirmed to the lifetime job. During the second day…
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Supreme Court ends Trump’s fight over Capitol attack records
WASHINGTON • The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday brought a formal end to former President Donald Trump’s request to block the release of White House records sought by the Democratic-led congressional panel investigating last year’s deadly attack on the Capitol by a mob of his supporters. The court’s decision to formally reject Trump’s appeal follows…
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Biden vows to nominate Black woman to Supreme Court by end of February
WASHINGTON • President Joe Biden on Thursday said he plans by the end of February to nominate a Black woman to replace retiring U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, a historic first that he called “long overdue.” Biden appeared with Breyer, whom he has known since the 1970s, at the White House after the 83-year-old…
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Supreme Court Justice Breyer stepping down from bench
WASHINGTON • Liberal U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer plans to retire, lawmakers said Wednesday, giving President Joe Biden the opportunity to fulfill a campaign promise to appoint the first Black woman to the nation’s top judicial body. The retirement of Breyer, who is 83 and has served on the court since 1994, gives Biden…
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Supreme Court leans toward Sen. Cruz over campaign finance challenge
WASHINGTON • Conservative U.S. Supreme Court justices on Wednesday appeared sympathetic toward Republican Sen. Ted Cruz’s challenge to a provision of a major campaign finance law that caps the amount of money political candidates can be reimbursed after an election for personal loans to their own campaign organizations. Cruz, backed by fellow Republicans, has argued…
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Supreme Court takes aim at N.Y. gun limits
WASHINGTON • Conservative U.S. Supreme Court justices on Wednesday appeared ready to shoot down New York state’s limits on carrying concealed handguns in public in a major gun rights case that could imperil various firearms restrictions nationally. While appearing united in their skepticism about the constitutionality of the state’s law, some of the conservative justices…
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U.S. Supreme Court declines to block Texas abortion ban
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court refused on Wednesday to block a Texas ban on abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, dealing a major blow to abortion rights by leaving in place a state law that prohibits the vast majority of abortions. The decision is a major milestone in the fight over abortion, as opponents…