That Supreme Court decision, Buckley v. Valeo, happens to turn 50 years old this week. It's Buckley, and not the often-excoriated 2010 Roberts court decision in Citizens United v. FEC, that created the conditions for the ultrawealthy to transform their vastly unequal economic power into lopsided political power, and for a billionaire like Elon Musk to contribute a staggering $291 million to help elect Republican candidates, including Donald Trump, in 2024.
Ed. Note: A weekly roundup of just a few items from Howard Bashman's How Appealing blog, the Web's first blog devoted to appellate litigation. Check out these stories and more at How Appealing. "A Year Inside Kash Patel's F.B.I.: Forty-five current and former employees on the changes they say are undermining the agency and making America less safe." Emily Bazelon and Rachel Poser have this article online at The New York Times Magazine.
We are seeing a sustained effort to eradicate the Voting Rights Act. That is the crown jewel the crown jewel of the Civil Rights Movement and an essential part of Dr. King's legacy, Holder said. He made the comment in a speech at the Annual MLK Day Legislative Breakfast in Washington, D.C. Holder who served as AG for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2015 was flanked by MS NOW host Rev. Al Sharpton while he said the Trump administration was working to hurt Black Americans.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday is scheduled to hear arguments over President Donald Trump's attempts to fire a sitting Federal Reserve board member. Lisa Cook, whom Trump tried to remove in August, has asked the high court to ensure she can keep her job. She's argued that the "cause" Trump cited, which involves allegations of mortgage irregularities, is a pretext. The efforts to fire her are based on politics, not economic data or job performance, her lawyers say.
Candidates have a concrete and particularized interest in the rules that govern the counting of votes in their elections, regardless whether those rules harm their electoral prospects or increase the cost of their campaigns," Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion.
* Supreme Court heard challenges to laws targeting trans athletes and the argument went about as you'd expect. [ Balls and Strikes] * Senior federal prosecutors resign in response to the Justice Department's efforts to paper over the murder of Renee Good. [ CBS News] * Tom Goldstein trial could feature celebrity witnesses. [ Law360] * School voids exam - that students already took - after similarities to past exams came out. [ Legal Cheek] * Supreme Court tariff decision looms large. Don't plan on that $2000 rebate check that Trump promised and promptly forgot about. [ Reuters]
