Category: Federal

The U.S. Supreme Court released two unanimous opinions this week.   Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg delivered the unanimous opinion in Timbs v. Indiana, a case concerning the Eighth Amendment’s ban on excessive fines. It was her second opinion of the term.   Justice Neil Gorsuch delivered the unanimous opinion in Dawson v. Steager, a case…

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral argument in the following four cases next week:   *Manhattan Community Access Corp. v. Halleck, a case concerning the First Amendment’s limitation on governmental restriction of free speech and public access television channels.   *Mont v. United States, a case concerning supervised release for criminals.   *United States…

As of February 20, 2019, two special elections have been scheduled for the 116th Congress: one for Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District and another for one of Arizona’s U.S. Senate seats. Another will be scheduled for North Carolina’s 3rd Congressional District.   Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District: A special election to fill the vacant U.S. House seat…

The United States Supreme Court agreed on February 15, 2019, to hear a case challenging the addition of a citizenship question on the 2020 census. Oral argument is scheduled for late April 2019.   Judge Jesse Furman of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York issued a ruling in the…

There are 206 pivot counties in the country: those that voted for Barack Obama (D) in both 2008 and 2012 and Donald Trump (R) in 2016.   What happened in those counties in the 2018 elections for the U.S. House?   Democratic U.S. House candidates won 113 (55 percent) pivot counties and Republican candidates won 93.   Overall, Democratic…

President Donald Trump signed a $328 billion spending bill that includes $1.375 billion in funding for barriers on the southern border. He had requested $5.7 billion in wall funding. Trump, because he said he did not get the amount requested, declared a state of emergency on the southern border and directed $8.1 billion to build…

William Pelham Barr was sworn in as the 85th United States attorney general, marking his second time in the position. Barr was confirmed by the Senate on Thursday by a vote of 54-45. He was sworn in the same day. Fifty-one Republicans and three Democrats—Sens. Doug Jones (Ala.), Joe Manchin (W.Va.), and Krysten Sinema (Ariz.)—voted…

The Federal Register is a daily journal of federal government activity that includes presidential documents, proposed and final rules, and public notices. It is a common measure of an administration’s regulatory activity.   During the week of February 11 to February 15, the number of pages in the Federal Register increased by 1,582 pages, bringing…

The U.S. Supreme Court will be back in session next week for its February sitting. The justices will hear two cases next week and six this month. The first case—Return Mail v. U.S. Postal Service—is a patent law case that will be heard on Tuesday. The second case—Mission Product Holdings v. Tempnology LLC—is a trademark…

Former NASA astronaut Mark Kelly (D) announced Tuesday that he is running in the 2020 special election for U.S. Senate in Arizona to complete the term of the late John McCain (R). Kelly became active in politics and gun violence prevention after his wife, former Rep. Gabby Giffords (D), survived an assassination attempt in 2011.…