Category: Federal

A three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on October 31 held in Arthrex Inc. v. Smith & Nephew Inc. et al. that the structure of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) violates the Appointments Clause of the United States Constitution.   Judges Kimberly Moore, Raymond Chen, and…

Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas) announced Friday that he was ending his presidential campaign.   In a tweet announcing his withdrawal, O’Rourke said, “Our campaign has always been about seeing clearly, speaking honestly, and acting decisively. In that spirit: I am announcing that my service to the country will not be as a candidate or…

South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg gained his fourth and final poll on Oct. 29 to qualify for the Democratic presidential primary debate on Dec. 19.   Candidates must meet one of two polling standards: receive 4 percent support or more in at least four national or early state polls or receive 6 percent support or…

October 31, 2019: Kamala Harris is restructuring her campaign, sending more staffers to Iowa and reducing staff at her Maryland headquarters. Donald Trump ran a campaign ad during the final night of the World Series on Wednesday. Here’s the latest from the campaign trail. Notable Quote of the Day “Last week, two polls painted two…

Rep. Katie Hill (D-Calif.) announced that she would resign from her position representing California’s 25th Congressional District. Hill did not initially announce the effective date of her resignation. The announcement followed Hill’s acknowledgment that she had been involved in an intimate relationship with a campaign staffer.   Once her resignation becomes effective, Hill will be…

In the past week, one member of the 116th Congress announced her resignation: Democratic Rep. Katie Hill (Calif.-25). She will be the seventh member of the 116th Congress to leave office early.   One member of the House also announced his retirement after the 2020 elections: Republican Rep. Greg Walden (Ore.-2), who was first elected…

Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) announced that he would not seek re-election to the U.S. House in 2020. He said in a statement, “[F]or me, the time has come to pursue new challenges and opportunities. So, I will not seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives, nor election to any other office.” Walden was first…

The Democratic National Committee announced the polling and fundraising thresholds for the sixth presidential primary debate on December 19, 2019.   Candidates must now meet one of two polling standards:   Four Poll Threshold: Receive 4% support or more in at least four national or early state polls—Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and/or Nevada. The…

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) announced that she would not seek re-election to Congress in 2020. In a Twitter post, Gabbard said she was fully committed to her presidential campaign and would not be running for her U.S. House seat as a result. She was first elected to represent Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District in 2012 and…

The U.S. Senate confirmed nominee Justin Walker to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. Overall, the Senate has confirmed 157 of President Trump’s Article III judicial nominees—two Supreme Court justices, 43 appellate court judges, 110 district court judges, and two U.S. Court of International Trade judges—since January 2017. At the end…