US Politics: Killin' Ya Hard With Hate

[Zorral]

MTG lambastes Biden for killing jobs by bringing better paying jobs to her state that people take.  Yes.  Yes she did. 

[Gaston de Foix]

4 hours ago, Martell Spy said:

Court throws out Alabama GOP congressional map for violating Voting Rights Act
An independent court-appointed expert will now draw Alabama’s congressional map for the 2024 election.

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/09/05/court-throws-out-alabama-gop-congressional-map-for-violating-voting-rights-act-00113962

 

It's hard to know what the Alabama GOP and government was thinking (if it was).  I remember during the argument of Shelby County v. Holder, Justice Anthony Kennedy asked the Solicitor General:

"JUSTICE KENNEDY: But if -- if Alabama wants to have monuments to the heroes of the Civil Rights Movement, if it wants to acknowledge the wrongs of its past, is it better off doing that if it's an own independent sovereign or if it's under the trusteeship of the United States government?"

How delusional those words sound today.  Alabama hasn't changed and won't change.  It must be made to change.  

[Mindwalker]

They're thinking they'll delay compliance until it's too late for changes, as has been successful with other constituencies.

- The tealeaves seem to spell out that George whatever-his-real-name Santos is close to taking a plea deal. I hope he'll get more than a little slap on the wrist.

[Zorral]

These lawyers keep repeating the same arguments they made before the same judge that were already shot down -- some more than once!

N.Y. Attorney General Letitia James asks court to sanction Trump, his eldest sons and attorneys
The sanctions relate to James' ongoing civil suit against the former president and others close to him.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/ny-attorney-general-letitia-james-asks-court-sanction-trump-eldest-son-rcna103464

Quote

 

New York Attorney General Letitia James is asking the state Supreme Court to sanction former President Donald Trump, his sons Eric and Don Jr., others related to the family business and Trump's attorneys for a total of $20,000.

Court records filed Tuesday showed that James' office wants to sanction them because they've continued to raise “previously-rejected arguments” in their motions. The attorney general called them “frivolous and sanctionable” because “sophisticated defense counsel should have known better."

The attorney general's office said in the filing that there are five instances where previously rejected arguments by the court have been reused by Trump attorneys or where Trump attorneys made arguments based on a lack of legal or factual basis. 

This pertains to James' ongoing lawsuit in which she alleges there were persistent efforts by Trump, his two eldest sons and others to routinely present false financial information to lenders, insurance companies, and others to benefit the former president’s businesses and his own personal benefit.  ....

 

They seem incapable of thinking up new, original lies.

Additionally all 20 of the articles of impeachment of TX's attorney general, Ken Paxton, which he filed to have dismissed, were sustained by the vote of his peers.

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/09/05/us/ken-paxton-impeachment-trial-texas

Edited September 5, 2023 by Zorral

[Zorral]

53 minutes ago, Mindwalker said:

- The tealeaves seem to spell out that George whatever-his-real-name Santos is close to taking a plea deal. I hope he'll get more than a little slap on the wrist.

 

Santos Talks to Prosecutors About ‘Paths Forward’ as New Evidence Looms
Representative George Santos and federal prosecutors asked to postpone a status conference to continue discussions on “possible paths forward” in his fraud case.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/05/nyregion/george-santos-plea-trial.html

 

And further, 

Prosecutors ask for 33 years in prison for ex-Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio

https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/05/politics/enrique-tarrio-sentencing-proud-boys-seditious-conspiracy/index.html

His mom and sisters weep, he swears he'll never engage in activism again! 

 

[Zorral]

Ha! Tarrio didn't get 33 years, but he did get the longest sentence of the insurrectionists: 22 years. A serious chunk of one's life.

So ... why isn't Roger Stone in prison?

Edited September 5, 2023 by Zorral

[Castellan]

Hmmm it says this is a log running investigation - my first thought was you charge Trump et al through racketeering laws we will do the same to protesters.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/61-indicted-in-georgia-on-racketeering-charges-connected-to-stop-cop-city-protests

[Gaston de Foix]

5 hours ago, Mindwalker said:

They're thinking they'll delay compliance until it's too late for changes, as has been successful with other constituencies.

Yeah, for sure.  And they are filing for cert at the Supreme Court.  Which will hopefully slap them down, and not grant a stay.  But who knows after SB8? 

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

7 minutes ago, Gaston de Foix said:

Yeah, for sure.  And they are filing for cert at the Supreme Court.  Which will hopefully slap them down, and not grant a stay.  But who knows after SB8? 

The Supreme’s affirmed the 11th Cir. 6-3.  I think Alabama is going to get slapped by the SCOTUS.

[Mlle. Zabzie]

7 minutes ago, Ser Scot A Ellison said:

The Supreme’s affirmed the 11th Cir. 6-3.  I think Alabama is going to get slapped by the SCOTUS.

Ooo ooo, “John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it” or something like that….

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

9 hours ago, Mlle. Zabzie said:

Ooo ooo, “John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it” or something like that….

We’re quite a way from Andrew “the Genocider” Jackson.  Alabama has come close by refusing to redistrict as ordered.  The crisis doesn’t come until Alabama refuses to abide by the “non-partisan” commissions district lines.

[eta]

But such an action would also be rejected by the SCOTUS based on their 6-3 rejection of “Independent State Legislature Doctrine”… right?

Edited September 6, 2023 by Ser Scot A Ellison

[Gaston de Foix]

8 hours ago, Ser Scot A Ellison said:

The Supreme’s affirmed the 11th Cir. 6-3.  I think Alabama is going to get slapped by the SCOTUS.

In Merrill? I thought it was 5-4 with ACB dissenting. 

There is a part of me that wants Alabama to force the issue reserved in Kavanaugh's concurrence now (basically he said, Thomas may be right that race-based remedies were constitutional when passed but have become unconstitutional now but Alabama has not raised that argument so I'm not deciding it). 

Realistically, raising that argument now is Alabama's best chance of getting cert.  But forcing the issue now is also the best way to get Kavanaugh to come down on the liberal side. 

Not going to happen.  I agree with Scot.  Kavanaugh is simply going to vote to deny cert and that'll be that.  

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

1 hour ago, Gaston de Foix said:

In Merrill? I thought it was 5-4 with ACB dissenting. 

There is a part of me that wants Alabama to force the issue reserved in Kavanaugh's concurrence now (basically he said, Thomas may be right that race-based remedies were constitutional when passed but have become unconstitutional now but Alabama has not raised that argument so I'm not deciding it). 

Realistically, raising that argument now is Alabama's best chance of getting cert.  But forcing the issue now is also the best way to get Kavanaugh to come down on the liberal side. 

Not going to happen.  I agree with Scot.  Kavanaugh is simply going to vote to deny cert and that'll be that.  

Am I confusing this with the NC Independent State Legislature Doctrine case?

[Varysblackfyre321]

16 hours ago, Zorral said:

Ha! Tarrio didn't get 33 years, but he did get the longest sentence of the insurrectionists: 22 years. A serious chunk of one's life.

He can be out on parole in a decade or less. It should have been much higher.

As should most of the insurrectionists.

I feel we’ve learned nothing from the Beerputsch

Edited September 6, 2023 by Varysblackfyre321

[Deadlines? What Deadlines?]

48 minutes ago, Varysblackfyre321 said:

He can be out on parole in a decade or less. It should have been much higher.

As should most of the insurrectionists.

I feel we’ve learned nothing from the Beerputsch

The ones who feigned remorse at the sentencing hearing then screamed “Trump won!” on their way out the door; they might get a surprise or two at their first parole hearing.

More likely is that a future president will pardon them or commute their sentences. 

[Gaston de Foix]

3 hours ago, Ser Scot A Ellison said:

Am I confusing this with the NC Independent State Legislature Doctrine case?

Yep, exactly.  This is a good explainer from Ian Millhiser on June 26 (!) that i just found that basically captures my thinking: https://www.vox.com/scotus/2023/7/26/23806856/supreme-court-voting-rights-act-allen-milligan-defiance-brett-kavanaugh

The only thing I would say is that Millhiser is if anything being too credulous. 

Kavanaugh doesn't have any deep theory of the VRA.  He was just unwilling to gut it in the same term as affirmative action lest he be seen too openly as hostile to African-Americans. 

So he followed the CJ's lead and punted.  He didn't join Part III-A of the CJ's opinion which basically defended the VRA as a necessary measure to ensure adequate representation of AA in Congress.  But he intends to come back and knock it out sometime in the future.

[Kalbear]

4 hours ago, Varysblackfyre321 said:

He can be out on parole in a decade or less. It should have been much higher.

As should most of the insurrectionists.

I feel we’ve learned nothing from the Beerputsch

the republicans learned plenty.

[Kalbear]

3 hours ago, Gaston de Foix said:

Yep, exactly.  This is a good explainer from Ian Millhiser on June 26 (!) that i just found that basically captures my thinking: https://www.vox.com/scotus/2023/7/26/23806856/supreme-court-voting-rights-act-allen-milligan-defiance-brett-kavanaugh

The only thing I would say is that Millhiser is if anything being too credulous. 

I guess my feeling on Alabama's choice is that they've already talked to Kavanaugh about it and he's recommended they do exactly what they're doing. I don't think they're trying something special or thinking that they will fail. What's the old saying - don't call for a vote if you don't know how it'll go? Same thing here with legal cases. 

I suspect that this will be heard in 2025 after the vote in 2024 and then the VRA will be dissolved.

[Gaston de Foix]

31 minutes ago, Kalnak the Magnificent said:

I guess my feeling on Alabama's choice is that they've already talked to Kavanaugh about it and he's recommended they do exactly what they're doing. I don't think they're trying something special or thinking that they will fail. What's the old saying - don't call for a vote if you don't know how it'll go? Same thing here with legal cases. 

I suspect that this will be heard in 2025 after the vote in 2024 and then the VRA will be dissolved.

It's not just your feeling, it's been reported (https://www.alreporter.com/2023/07/27/inside-alabamas-republican-plan-to-overturn-section-2-of-the-voting-rights-act/). 

That said, I don't think it's true.  It's possible that Kavanaugh acted unethically but really, he didn't need to.  He wrote a road-map in his concurrence for all to see.  And if Alabama presents complications, LA is not far behind. 

That said, it may not be possible to delay this case at least till 2025.  It's on direct appeal to the SC from a three-judge court.  They'll have to rule on cert by summer's end at the latest.  

[Martell Spy]

Football coach who won Supreme Court case for right to pray on the field resigns after one game

https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/06/us/washington-football-coach-pray-resigns/index.html

Quote

 

A Washington state high school football coach who won a Supreme Court case in 2022 after he lost his job for praying at the 50-yard line after games has resigned from his position.

The nation’s top court ruled the Bremerton School District violated coach Joe Kennedy’s First Amendment rights, saying prayers amounted to private speech and could not be restricted by the school district.

On Wednesday, Kennedy announced his resignation on his website, saying multiple reasons factored into his decision, including taking care of an ailing family member out of state.