Opening Arguments

Ginsburg Hospitalized Overnight for Reaction to Medications

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:05:33 -0500

Updated 4:23 p.m. By Robert Barnes Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was hospitalized overnight and released Thursday morning because of an adverse reaction to the combination of a prescription sleeping aid and over-the-counter cold medication, the Supreme Court public information office announced. It is the second time in less than a month that the 76-year-old Ginsburg has been hospitalized, although for different reasons. She spent the night at Washington Hospital Center on Sept. 24 after she fell ill from receiving an intravenous treatment for anemia. The court said Ginsburg became extremely drowsy after taking the combination of medicines, and she fell from her seat before takeoff on an overnight flight to London. Paramedics took Ginsburg from the plane to the hospital around 11:15 p.m. Justice Stephen G. Breyer was with Ginsburg at the time and left the plane with her. They were two of four justices bound for London to celebrate

Supreme Court Term Begins Today, Many Cases Refused

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:33:18 -0500

People line up outside the Supreme Court in Washington for the start of the new session. (Evan Vucci/Associated Press) By John Amick The Supreme Court began a new term today, beginning with a case pertaining to how long a suspect's right to a lawyer is valid. The court will hear 55 cases this term. Thousands of cases were refused by the court last week. The Associated Press on some of these cases: High Court Won't Review Oil Royalties Case Court Refuses to Get Involved in Church Dispute Court Turns Down Former Prosecutor in Libel Case Court Nixes Case of Fired Deputy Who Ran vs. Boss Court Won't Block Release of Sex Abuse Papers High Court Refuses to Hear Insider Trading Appeal Court Won't Force Ill. to Have 'Choose Life' License Plate Court Won't Review Fla. Pledge of Allegiance Law High Court Won't Review Death Penalty in Louisiana

Justice Ginsburg Released From Hospital

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 10:18:43 -0500

Updated 10:18 a.m. By Robert Barnes Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was released from Washington Hospital Center Friday morning after an overnight stay, and she plans to be back at work Friday afternoon, the Supreme Court said in a statement. Ginsburg was admitted to the hospital Thursday after falling ill at the court after receiving an intravenous iron therapy, court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said. Ginsburg felt better after being attended by a physician at the court, Arberg said, but she was taken to the hospital as a precaution. Ginsburg's health has been a concern since the 76-year-old justice was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer earlier this year. In February, doctors removed her spleen and a tiny tumor on her pancreas. Ginsburg said the operation was a complete success, and that she was cancer-free. She underwent what she called a precautionary round of chemotherapy in the spring, but never missed a day of

Court Plans to Quickly Release Audio of Argument in FEC Case

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:02:34 -0500

Associated Press The Supreme Court said Friday that it will release audio tapes soon after Wednesday’s argument in a much-anticipated case, dealing with limits on campaign spending by corporations and labor unions. The case, Citizens United v. FEC, involves a movie made by a conservative group that was harshly critical of Hillary Rodham Clinton’s presidential ambitions. C-SPAN said it expects to air the audio recording soon after the argument concludes, probably around 11:30 a.m. EDT. The same-day release of audio tapes following arguments in major cases started in the 2000 presidential election, when the justices decided appeals of the Florida recount controversy in favor of George W. Bush. The court most recently made same-day audio available after arguments over a key provision of the federal Voting Rights Act in April. The court records arguments and ordinarily releases them at the end of each term. With television cameras barred from the

Justice Stevens Hires Just One Clerk

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:16:28 -0500

Updated 5:30 p.m. By Robert Barnes It is tea-leaf reading time at the Supreme Court: Does Justice John Paul Stevens's decision to hire only one clerk for the term that begins in October 2010 mean this could be his last year on the court? Stevens' office confirmed to the Associated Press that Stevens hired only one clerk this summer for the court's 2010-2011 term, rather than his usual contingent of four clerks. The justice's office did not address whether he was considering retiring, or if he would resume hiring clerks at some point. Stevens already has hired all of his clerks for the term that begins Oct. 5. It is unusual for Stevens not to hire all of his clerks at the same time, those who have worked for him say. "Obviously, it's possible that he's thinking about retiring," said Christopher L. Eisgruber, a former Stevens clerk who is now

McConnell Gets a Voice in Court Hearing on Campaign Finance

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 18:12:05 -0500

By Robert Barnes The Supreme Court on Monday allowed Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) to intervene in next month's hearing on the constitutionality of campaign finance restrictions, meaning that he and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) will be on opposite sides. The court is considering whether to overturn its previous decisions that restrict unions and corporations from using their general treasuries to influence election campaigns. At stake is a key portion of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, more commonly known as McCain-Feingold. The court found the law constitutional in a 2003 decision known as McConnell v. FEC, and the Kentucky senator's lawyer, noted First Amendment attorney Floyd Abrams, told the court that McConnell should be included in the arguments over whether to reverse that decision. The Sept. 9 hearing is in a case called Citizens United v. FEC, in which the conservative interest group challenged BCRA's restrictions on

Byrd to Attend Sotomayor Vote

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:13:13 -0500

By Paul Kane Marking his second appearance since a hospitalization May 15, Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.) will be on hand Thursday to cast his vote for Judge Sonia Sotomayor to be Supreme Court justice. Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) told reporters that Byrd would be there for the formal 3 p.m. vote for Sotomayor, the second time the 91-year-old, the longest-serving senator ever, will cast a vote since being released from an undisclosed hospital in early July. Administration and congressional officials believe the final tally for Sotomayor would be 68 "aye" votes when the roll call occurs, done from the formal setting of all senators seated at their desks as opposed to the normal setting of the 100 senators milling about the floor giving the clerks thumbs up or thumbs down signals. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), who is suffering from terminal brain cancer, will not be on

As Sotomayor Debate Begins, Two More Announce Opposition

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 12:37:17 -0500

Updated 2:00 p.m. By Paul Kane Wyoming's senators announced Wednesday that they'll oppose the Supreme Court confirmation of Judge Sonia Sotomayor, while Sen. Christopher S. Bond (R-Mo.) became the seventh Republican to announce his support of her ahead of a roll-call vote, expected for Thursday or Friday. Mike Enzi and John Barrasso's opposition leaves just three undeclared Senate Republicans: two former governors, Sens. Judd Gregg (N.H.) and George Voinovich (Ohio), and the daughter of a former governor, Sen. Lisa Murkowski The two most recent GOP supporters of Sotomayor -- Bond and Sen. Lamar Alexander (Tenn.) -- have been governors, a role that may lend a different perspective on the executive branch and its prerogatives on judicial nominations. "Elections have consequences," Bond said on the Senate floor. If conservatives want to block liberal judges from the federal courts, he added, they have to win at the ballot box, absent some disqualifying

With Backing from Voinovich, Sotomayor Poised to Receive Support of 9 GOP Senators

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:39:00 -0500

Updated Aug. 5 Every Republican senator has now made public statements in support of or in opposition to the nomination of appeals court Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. Below is a scorecard with the final tally heading into the vote by the full Senate, scheduled for 3 p.m. Thursday. LATEST ANNOUNCEMENTS • George V. Voinovich (Ohio), the only senator who had remained mum as of Wednesday night, said this morning that he will vote to confirm Sotomayor. Voinovich said that, "on balance I believe she is fit to serve on our nation's highest court." TOTALS GOP: 40 Out For: 9 Out Against: 31 Republicans Supporting Sotomayor • Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.)* • Sen. Lamar Alexander (Tenn.) • Sen. Christopher Bond (Mo.) • Sen. Susan Collins (Maine) • Sen. Olympia Snowe (Maine) • Sen. Richard Lugar (Ind.) • Sen. Mel Martinez (Fla.) • Sen. Judd Gregg (N.H.) • Sen.

Sen. Alexander Becomes Highest-Ranking Republican to Back Sotomayor

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 11:01:09 -0500

By Perry Bacon Jr. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the No. 3 Republican in the party's Senate leadership, announced on Thursday that he will vote to confirm Sonia Sotomayor for the U.S. Supreme Court, making him the highest-ranking member of the party to endorse her. The decision was a bit of a suprise, as most of the Republican senators who have announced how they will vote have said they will oppose her, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) And while some of the Republicans who have backed Sotomayor are considered moderates, Alexander has been a strong critic of many of President Obama's policies. "Even though Judge Sotomayor's political and judicial philosophy may be different than mine, especially regarding Second Amendments rights," Alexander said on the Senate floor, "I will vote to confirm her because she is well qualified by experience, temperament, character and intellect to serve as an Associate Justice of

Committee Prepares to Vote on Sotomayor

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 10:40:50 -0500

UPDATED 10:40 A.M. Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee have started making their opening statements before voting on whether to send the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the full Senate for confirmation. There is little drama about the outcome of the committee vote, since all 12 Democrats on the panel have pledged to support Sotomayor. Of the seven Republicans, however, only Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, plans to vote 'yes.' By comparision, the panel voted 13-5 to approve the nomination of Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., and 10-8 to approve Justice Samuel Alito. As noted by washingtonpost.com's Ben Pershing, committee members Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) both plan to vote against Sotomayor, the first time they have opposed a nominee for the high court. Before any vote is taken today, however, the senators each have an opportunity to explain their 'yea' or 'nay.'

With Sotomayor Vote, Parties Position for 2010

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 08:00:00 -0500

8 a.m. ET: The largely newsless confirmation saga of Sonia Sotomayor will make news today, as the Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote on sending the first Hispanic Supreme Court nominee to the full chamber for consideration. Among committee Republicans, only Lindsey Graham is expected to vote "aye," meaning the tally will likely favor the nominee, 13-6. (John Roberts' panel vote was 13-5, while Samuel Alito's was 10-8.) Charles Grassley and Orrin Hatch both plan to cast their first-ever votes against a Supreme Court nominee today, and they attribute their opposition as much to the changing partisan atmosphere in the Senate as they do to Sotomayor's record. "I think it's a whole new ballgame, a lot different than I approached it with [Ruth Bader] Ginsburg and [Stephen] Breyer," Grassley told the Los Angeles Times. Will Republicans remain similarly unified on the Senate floor? And will their opposition matter in

Graham Becomes First Judiciary Republican to Back Sotomayor

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:51:32 -0500

By Ben Pershing Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.) announced today that he would support Judge Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the Supreme Court, making him the first Judiciary Committee Republican to do so and potentially paving the way for several more GOP senators to back her. Saying that "elections have consequences," Graham explained on the Senate floor: "I would not have chosen her if I had made this choice as president. But I understand why President Obama did choose her, and I'm happy to vote for her." Graham's position on Sotomayor has been closely watched, because he drew attention from conservatives and liberals alike for his sharp questioning of the nominee during her confirmation hearings last week, even while holding out the possibility that he might support her in the end. Graham and Sen. Charles Grassley (Iowa) -- who has not yet signaled his intentions -- have been seen as the

Collins Adds Another GOP Vote for Sotomayor

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 10:27:20 -0500

By Ben Pershing Maine Sen. Susan Collins announced Tuesday that she will support Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the Supreme Court, making her the fourth Republican to line up behind President Obama's pick. "Judge Sotomayor has impressive legal experience, has excelled throughout her life, and is a tremendously accomplished person," Collins said in a statement, adding that while she knows she won't agree with all of Sotomayor's decisions on the court, " I believe she will serve our country honorably and well on the Supreme Court." With Sotomayor's confirmation all but assured, the administration is hoping to run up the score by attracting as many Republican votes as possible. Collins' decision was somewhat expected, given that she hails from the GOP's moderate wing and because fellow Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe (R) is already backing Sotomayor. GOP Sens. Richard Lugar (Ind.) and Mel Martinez (Fla.) have also signaled their support for the

McConnell Says He'll Vote No on Sotomayor

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:56:38 -0500

By Paul Kane Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell announced today his opposition to Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. McConnell has signaled for the past seven weeks that he had serious concerns about speeches in which Sotomayor said a "wise Latina" would more often than not come up with better rulings than a white male judge, a line she delivered in five speeches over the last 15 years. Sotomayor backed away from that opinion repeatedly under three days of questioning this week from the Senate Judiciary Committee, telling Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) Thursday that "I regret that I have offended some people" and that it was meant as an aspirational lift to young Latina lawyers. McConnell did not address today the question of a filibuster, further evidence that Republicans do not plan any effort to defeat Sotomayor's elevation to the Supreme Court. Sen. Jeff Sessions (Ala.), the ranking Republican on