Month: March 2022

President Biden’s nominee for the Supreme Court, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, addressed senators on the first day of confirmation hearings on Monday, telling the lawmakers she would “decide cases from a neutral posture” if they approve her nomination to the high court.  Jackson told members of the Senate Judiciary Committee: “Members of this committee: If I am confirmed, I commit to you that I will work productively to support and defend the Constitution and the grand experiment of American democracy that has endured over these past 246 years. During this hearing, I hope that you will see how much I love our country and the Constitution, and the rights that make us free.”

Jackson sat silently for most of the 4.5-hour session as the 22 committee members delivered opening statements and previewed their lines of inquiry for the two days of questioning ahead. Many Democrats lauded Jackson for shattering barriers with her nomination, and Republicans also applauded Jackson for her nomination, previewing the aspects of her professional record they plan to examine, namely the sentences she imposed on child pornography offenders while serving as a judge on the federal district court in Washington and clients she represented as a federal assistant public defender and in private practice. Many GOP members of the Judiciary panel pledged to avoid personal attacks on Jackson, but they still vowed to probe her judicial philosophy and views of the Supreme Court.

Jackson’s four-day confirmation hearings begin just 24 days after President Biden announced her as his nominee to replace retiring Justice Stephen Breyer on the Supreme Court.  Currently a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, Jackson served on the federal district court in Washington for eight years and was a member of the U.S. Sentencing Commission. If appointed to the Supreme Court, Jackson will be the second-youngest justice at 51 years old.

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The Supreme Court announced in a statement that Justice Clarence Thomas has been hospitalized with an infection.  Supreme Court spokesperson Patricia McCabe said that Thomas was admitted to Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C., on Friday evening after experiencing flu-like symptoms. He was diagnosed with an infection after undergoing tests and is being treated with intravenous antibiotics. McCabe did not provide more details on the nature of the infection, saying: “His symptoms are abating, he is resting comfortably, and he expects to be released from the hospital in a day or two. Justice Thomas will participate in the consideration and discussion of any cases for which he is not present on the basis of the briefs, transcripts and audio of the oral arguments.”

Thomas does not have a known history of health issues. He, along with the other eight justices, has been vaccinated and boosted for COVID-19, according to the Court.

Thomas is the second-oldest justice on the Supreme Court at 73 years old, after Justice Stephen Breyer, and is the most senior conservative.  The Court is reconvening Monday at 10 a.m. for two weeks of oral arguments.  As of press time, it appears Thomas will not be participating in the arguments remotely, but will still vote in the cases.

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Police said on Sunday that one person was killed and at least 28 others were injured in a shooting at a car show in southeastern Arkansas. The shooting took place at a car show in Dumas, Ark., known as “NeighborHOOD PicNIC.”  Dumas is about 87 miles southeast of Little Rock.  Arkansas State Police Colonel Bill Bryant identified the victim who died as 23-year-old Cameron Shaffer.  Among the injured victims were six young children, including two toddlers, who were taken to Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock.  As of press time, five victims had been released.

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said that two suspects were in custody after the shooting that took place on Saturday at around 7 p.m., including one who was arrested and another who was being held on unrelated charges.  Said Hutchinson: “The shooting spree in Dumas last night at a community family event represents a total disregard of the value of life.” 

Arkansas State Police Colonel Bill Bryant said he believed the shooting began when two people got into a gunfight. Dumas Police Chief Keith Finch said “multiple gunmen began shooting” while the car show was in full swing. The events’ organizers, a nonprofit called the Hoodnic Foundation, said they were “heartbroken and in shock at what took place during tonight’s car show.”

The event organizers, a nonprofit called the Hoodnic Foundation, said they were “heartbroken and in shock at what took place during tonight’s car show.”  The event, in its 16th year, also includes a parade and other activities each spring to raise funds for scholarships and school supplies.  Hoodnic Foundation’s director Wallace McGehee said:  “We apologize for all of this … This has never happened with us at our event ever. For something like this to happen, it’s a tragedy.”

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In a move designed to further isolate Moscow’s economy in response to President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine, the House passed a bill on Thursday that will suspend normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus.  Biden is expected to sign the trade suspension measure into law when it reaches his desk. The House-passed bill now heads to the Senate.

The bill would revoke Russia’s “most favored nation” status in the World Trade Organization and pave the way for President Biden to introduce higher tariffs on Russian goods such as steel, aluminum and plywood. It’s the latest in a series of punitive actions in coordination with the E.U. and Group of Seven industrial nations after Russia invaded Ukraine last month.

The vote came a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered a virtual address to Congress, calling on lawmakers to do more to help Ukraine.  The Biden administration has already imposed a series of punitive measures to block Russian oil and gas imports in coordination with the European Union. However Zelenskyy has repeatedly asked for his allies to take military steps to protect Ukraine, such as imposing a no-fly zone over parts of the country and providing fighter jets.

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A federal judge has allowed a Texas man accused of assaulting a police officer during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot to plead guilty in an unusual move from the court.  U.S. District Judge Randy Moss repeatedly asked the defendant, Lucas Denney, if he was aware of his rights and if he wanted to proceed with pleading guilty to assaulting an officer at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. Prosecutors violated laws by waiting months to file charges against Denney; just recently they filed a one-count indictment despite initially having Denney arrested on additional charges.

William Shipley, an attorney for Denney, had earlier moved at a hearing for a guilty plea in part because he believes doing so would preclude the filing of more charges; Judge Moss rejected him.  During Thursday’s hearing, however, the judge was particularly focused on telling Denney that pleading guilty to one charge didn’t mean he wouldn’t face more charges in the future.

Denney consulted with his lawyers before pleading guilty, and Judge Moss accepted Denney’s plea, having determined there was a factual basis for the plea. Denney admitted to picking up a pole from the ground and swinging that item at a law enforcement officer. saying, “The purpose was to block the pepper spray, but I did.” Denney had told the FBI that he was a member of the group Patriot Boys of North Texas, which he described as a conservative group that supported President Donald Trump. Denney was accused of lying about not knowing anybody who went to Washington to enter the Capitol.

If prosecutors had filed all the charges listed in the complaint, Denney would have faced some two dozen charges. Prosecutors say at this time, they have not made a decision on pursuing additional charges. Following his guilty plea, Denney faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

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