What #SCOTUS just did to #broadband, the #RightToRepair, the #environment, and more

By overturning Chevron, the Supreme Court has declared war on an administrative state that touches everything from net neutrality to climate change.

By Verge Staff
Jun 28, 2024

"Since the New Deal era, the bulk of the functioning US government is the administrative state — think the acronym soup of agencies like the #EPA, #FCC, #FTC, #FDA, and so on. Even when Capitol Hill is not mired in deep dysfunction, the speed at which Congress and the courts operate no longer seems suitable for modern life. Both industry and ordinary people look to the administrative state, rather than legislators, for an immediate answer to their problems. And since 1984, the administrative state largely ran on one Supreme Court precedent: #ChevronUSA, Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council (#NRDC).

"That decision has now been overturned. Admin law is not always interesting, but the simple fact is when it comes to the day-to-day, agencies are the most impactful part of the federal government. No single policy writer at The Verge can fully articulate the impact of Friday’s Supreme Court decision and how profound its effects will be. The administrative state touches everything around us: net neutrality, climate change, #CleanAir and water, and what scant #ConsumerProtections we have.

"While the practice had been in place for decades before, it came to be known as Chevron deference after a 1984 case: Chevron v. NRDC. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Chevron, allowing the #RonaldReagan administration’s #industry-friendly Environmental Protection Agency to stick with a lax interpretation of the #CleanAirAct.

"Over the years, Chevron deference has enabled federal agencies to tackle all sorts of issues that legislators have yet to cover — from addressing greenhouse gas emissions causing climate change to regulating broadband access. As the conservative legal movement to disempower the administrative state grew, Chevron deference became — in certain circles — shorthand for #GovernmentOverreach.

"Before its decision to overturn Chevron, the Supreme Court had already dealt a blow to federal agencies’ regulatory authority by strengthening the 'major questions' doctrine in its 2022 decision in West Virginia v. EPA. According to the major questions doctrine, a federal agency shouldn’t have the leeway to craft regulation on an issue of major national significance if Congress hasn’t explicitly allowed it to do so in legislation.

"The same bloc of six #conservative justices that formed the majority in West Virginia v. EPA also overturned the longstanding precedent of #RoeVsWade — an even older case than Chevron — in the same month. When two cases calling for an end to Chevron deference worked their way up to the Supreme Court this year, the writing was on the wall — and once again, those same six justices overturned Chevron.

Impacts:
- #NetNeutrality
- The #environment and efforts to fight #ClimateChange
- Regulating #BigTech
- #TechWorkers on #visas and #immigration law
- #Labor and #WorkersRights
- The right to repair, #copyright, #PatentLaw, and the Apple Watch ban

https://www.theverge.com/24188365/chevron-scotus-net-neutrality-dmca-visa-fcc-ftc-epa

#DMCA #Chevron #PowerGrab #CorporateFascism #ChevronDeference #WaterIsLife #CleanWaterAct #SCOTUS #ScotusIsCorrupt #ScrotusSunday #ImpeachJusticeThomas #ImpeachJusticeAlito #KochBrothers

What SCOTUS just did to broadband, the right to repair, the environment, and more

From net neutrality to H-1B tech workers to cellphone unlocking, much of tech policy revolves around an administrative state that the Supreme Court wants to destroy.

The Verge

[Paywall] #SupremeCourt #Ethics Bill Blocked In #Senate Amid #SamuelAlito Controversies

by Antonio Pequeño IV Forbes Staff
June 12, 2024

"The Senate failed to advance a bill Wednesday designed to introduce ethics reform for the Supreme Court, with Sen. #LindseyGraham, R-S.C., shooting down the effort as Supreme Court #JusticeSamuelAlito faces ethics controversies and rejects calls to recuse himself from cases related to former President #DonaldTrump.

Key Facts

"Graham blocked a Democratic effort to pass the bill by unanimous consent, which requires the support of all senators.

"It was a widely anticipated outcome following #Republican pushback and votes against the bill when it passed the Senate Judiciary Committee in an 11-10 vote last year, while Justice #ClarenceThomas was embroiled in his own ethics controversies reportedly linked to accepting undisclosed financial favors.

"The bill, known as the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal and Transparency Act, sought to enshrine a code of conduct for Supreme Court justices and grant the ability to bring complaints against justices who may have violated the code.

"The legislation also tried to establish rules governing the disclosure of 'gifts, income or reimbursements' for the Supreme Court, which has no binding code of conduct, unlike lower federal courts."

Source:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2024/06/12/supreme-court-ethics-bill-blocked-in-senate-amid-samuel-alito-controversies/

#SCROTUS
#SCOTUS
#ImpeachThomas
#ImpeachAlito
#ScotusIsCorrupt
#ScrotusSunday

Supreme Court Ethics Bill Blocked In Senate Amid Samuel Alito Controversies

Alito is under fire for a string of controversies including the flying of a flag associated with the “Stop the Steal” movement at his Virginia home.

Forbes

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas received millions in gifts over 20 years, group says

by Dan Morrison
June 7, 2024

"#SupremeCourt #JusticeClarenceThomas has accepted more than $2 million in gifts over the last 20 years, according to a new analysis, far eclipsing the value of those received by his fellow justices.

"A report released Thursday by the advocacy group #FixTheCourt said the value of 93 gifts to all of Thomas’ fellow justices between 2004 and 2023 were totaled $248,000, while Thomas alone received 103 gifts worth $2.4 million.

"In addition to that haul, Fix the Court flagged another 101 'likely gifts' to Thomas worth nearly $1.8 million stemming from free luxury travel and lodging he received from #billionaire #HarlanCrow and others."

Read more:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2024/06/07/clarence-thomas-supreme-court-gifts-millions/74012846007/

#ImpeachJusticeThomas
#ScotusIsCorrupt #SCROTUS
#SCOTUS #ImpeachClarenceThomas
#ScrotusSunday #ErikPrince

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas received millions in gifts over 20 years, group says

Advocacy group Fix the Court said Thomas accepted $2.4 million in gifts and $1.8 million in 'likely gifts,' more than the rest of the court combined.

USA TODAY

Thousands Sign Christian Petition Demanding #SamuelAlito Resign: 'Unfit'

Opinion by Natalie Venegas
June 16, 2024

"A petition created by #FaithfulAmerica is nearing its goal of signatures on Sunday as they demand Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito to resign amid his recent controversies.

"In its petition from Wednesday, with a goal of 15,000 signatures, Faithful America, an organization of #Christians supporting #SocialJustice causes while opposing '#ChristianNationalism,' is demanding the conservative justice resign after he was heard in a secret recording agreeing that the United States should return 'to a place of godliness' as well as for two flags that were previously flown outside the justice's home."

Read more:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/thousands-sign-christian-petition-demanding-samuel-alito-resign-unfit/ar-BB1ok3sO

#ImpeachSamuelAlito #ImpeachJusticeAlito #ScotusIsCorrupt
#SCROTUS
#SCOTUS
#ImpeachAlito #ScrotusSunday #ChristianRight #ChristianNationalist

MSN

Looks like #KochBrothers got their money's worth!

#ClarenceThomas Secretly Participated in #KochNetwork Donor Events

Thomas has attended at least two Koch donor summits, putting him in the extraordinary position of having helped a political network that has brought multiple cases before the #SupremeCourt.

by Joshua Kaplan, Justin Elliott and Alex Mierjeski
Sept. 22, 2023

"The Koch network is among the largest and most influential political organizations of the last half century, and it’s underwritten a far-reaching campaign to influence the course of American law. In a case the Supreme Court will hear this coming term, the justices could give the network a historic victory: limiting federal agencies’ power to issue #regulations in areas ranging from the #environment to labor rights to consumer protection. After shepherding the case to the court, Koch network staff attorneys are now asking the justices to overturn a decades-old precedent. (Thomas used to support the precedent but flipped his position in recent years.)"

Read more:
https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-secretly-attended-koch-brothers-donor-events-scotus

#ImpeachJusticeThomas
#ScotusIsCorrupt #SCROTUS
#SCOTUS #ImpeachClarenceThomas
#ScrotusSunday #EnvironmentalRegulations #EPA #Chevron

Clarence Thomas Secretly Participated in Koch Network Donor Events

Thomas has attended at least two Koch donor summits, putting him in the extraordinary position of having helped a political network that has brought multiple cases before the Supreme Court.

ProPublica

[Paywall for audio] #Trump's immunity ruling due Monday as #SupremeCourt announces end of term

By Andrew Chung Reuters
Jun 28, 2024

WASHINGTON — "The Supreme Court’s ruling in Republican former President #DonaldTrump’s claim of immunity from prosecution for trying to undo his 2020 election loss is expected on Monday, the final day of its current term.

"Chief Justice John Roberts on Friday announced July 1 as the final day of the nine-member court’s current term, which began in October."

https://www.unionleader.com/news/courts/trumps-immunity-ruling-due-monday-as-supreme-court-announces- end-of-term/article_fdc8d05a-2ea5-517b-8011-8b83be09353e.html

#ScotusIsCorrupt
#SCOTUS
#ImpeachClarenceThomas
#ImpeachAlito #January6 #ScrotusSunday #SCROTUS

#KingAlito’s Arrogance Has Reached Frightening New Levels

As the #SupremeCourt careens toward the explosive end of its term, #JusticeSamuelAlito keeps digging himself deeper into an #ethics scandal that is equal parts comical and execrable

By Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern
May 31, 2024

"I would just add that this is entirely predictable from somebody who has proven, day after day after day, that he doesn’t believe reality. Justice Alito is at a place where he thinks the entire Justice Department is going after #Trump and #January6 insurrectionists because they’re witch-hunters. He believes the media is a bunch of liars and the world is out to get him. He believes the #insurrectionist flag is benign, a foam finger that screams 'Go George Washington.'"

Read more:
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2024/05/samuel-alito-upside-down-american-flag-supreme-court.html

#SCOTUSIsCorrupt
#SCOTUS #ImpeachSamuelAlito
#ImpeachAlito #SCROTUS #ScrotusSunday

King Alito’s Arrogance Has Reached Frightening New Levels

Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern discuss an unholy concatenation of court-related drama.

Slate

The Son of Former #SupremeCourt Justice Anthony Kennedy Helped #Trump Secure Loans at #DeutscheBank

by Jerry Lambe, Oct 28th, 2020

"The son of former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy helped #DonaldTrump in 2005 secure nearly $700 million in loans to construct a skyscraper in Chicago, despite Trump’s reputation for defaulting on business loans, the New York Times reported on Tuesday evening.

"According to the report, Justin Kennedy, who ran the German bank’s commercial real estate team and was close with the president’s daughter #IvankaTrump and her husband #JaredKushner, was willing to overlook Trump’s shoddy history as a debtor, getting the future president to personally guarantee $40 million of the loan. Both Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump currently work in the White House.

"The Times reported that Trump was able to convince Kennedy and other top executives that 'the Chicago development was a guaranteed moneymaker,' and further signaled 'the Trump family’s commitment to the project' by informing the bank that Ivanka would be in charge of the operation.

"#JustinKennedy’s role in helping to breathe life into Trump’s business empire before he was president has continued to breed rumors and conspiracies about the alleged
'White House charm offensive' carried out by the Trump family to help convince #JusticeKennedy to retire and make way for #JusticeBrettKavanaugh’s appointment to the bench.

"In 'Dark Towers: Deutsche Bank, Donald Trump and an Epic Trail of Destruction,' finance editor of the New York Times David Enrich described how Justin Kennedy was 'drawn to Trump’s risk-taking and glamour' while he was shepherding lucrative loans to Trump’s private businesses, even after the bank’s clients took massive losses when Trump’s Atlantic City casinos went bankrupt. After Trump’s election, the family reportedly set their sights on persuading Justice Kennedy to step down so the president could appoint a second justice to the bench."

Read more: https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/the-son-of-former-supreme-court-justice-anthony-kennedy-helped-trump-secure-loans-at-deutsche-bank/

#CorporateFascism #Corporatism #SCOTUSIsCorrupt #ScrotusSunday #SCROTUS #SCOTUS #BigBanks #TrumpCrimeFamily #ImpeachBrettKavanaugh

Justin Kennedy Helped Trump Get Millions in Deutsche Bank Loans | Law & Crime

The son of former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy helped Donald Trump in 2005 secure nearly $700 million in loans to construct a skyscraper in Chicago, despite Trump’s reputation for defaulting on business loans, the New York Times reported on Tuesday evening.

Law & Crime

The groundwork was already laid back in 2019!!! Impartial my a$$!

#SupremeCourt justices met with leader of #homophobic #HateGroup ahead of judgements on landmark #LGBTQ rights cases

Before announcing their judgement on three critical #LGBT+ rights cases, #USSupremeCourt justices #BrettKavanaugh and #SamuelAlito chose to meet with the leader of a notorious anti-LGBT+ hate group.

Nov 04 2019
Written by Emma Powys Maurice

"#Kavanaugh and #Alito met with Brian Brown, who is the co-founder of the National Organisation for Marriage (#NOM) and the president of the World Congress of Families (#WCF).

"Both groups actively campaign against basic LGBT+ rights in the US and beyond. Brown himself has long organised against LGBT+ communities, promoted harmful laws and emboldened other hate groups and extremists.

"Recently, he boasted of his close relationship with autocratic Hungarian prime minister #ViktorOrbán and met with activists in #TbilisiGeorgia, to praise them as 'men of faith' after threats of extreme violence led to #TbilisiPride being cancelled.

"Worryingly, the two Supreme Court judges seemed to indicate which side they’re likely to be on as they proudly posed for a photo alongside Brown on Tuesday, October 29.

"Although the tweet doesn’t state what the meeting was for, it was probably in connection to a major brief NOM has just filed with the US Supreme Court.

"According to NOM’s website, the brief is 'urging #SCOTUS to protect people of faith from governmental discrimination because of their belief that marriage is the union of one man and one woman'.

"This directly relates to the cases currently being considered by the Supreme Court, which will determine whether LGBT+ people are covered by existing federal laws that protect against discrimination.

"It’s not the first time Brian Brown and NOM have tried to pressure the Supreme Court on LGBT+ rights – in 2010, NOM was involved in successful efforts to oust three #Iowa Supreme Court judges who had ruled in favour of #SameSex marriage in the state.

"A day after being pictured with the Supreme Court justices, Brown was in #Ghana for a two-day conference hosted by the WCF, where he and other #AntiGay extremists sought to influence African political and religious leaders against LGBT+ rights.

"The conference was strongly condemned by the #HumanRightsCampaign for its attempts to 'further endanger #LGBTQ people, women and others in Ghana and throughout the world'.

"Speakers at the conference are said to have advocated for the adoption of public policies supporting so-called '#ConversionTherapy' and an understanding of LGBT+ people as 'deviant.'

"'We urge allies to help us shine a spotlight on the group’s hateful agenda and hold the World Congress of Families accountable by sharing news on social media about the group’s harmful messages and amplifying the positive work of local LGBTQ communities and their allies,' the #HRC warned."

https://www.thepinknews.com/2019/11/04/supreme-court-brett-kavanaugh-samuel-alito-homophobia-national-organisation-marriage/

#SCOTUSIsCorrupt
#SCROTUS #SCOTUS
#ImpeachClarenceThomas
#ImpeachBrettKavanaugh #PrideMonth #ScrotusSunday

Supreme Court justices met with leader of homophobic hate group ahead of judgements on landmark LGBT rights cases

Before announcing their judgement on three critical LGBT+ cases, two US Supreme Court Justices met with the leader of a notorious anti-LGBT+ hate group.

PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news

How about this "oldie but goodie" from 2018:

Did #AnthonyKennedy’s son loan #DonaldTrump $1 billion?

#DeutscheBank loaned #Trump over $1 billion while Supreme Court #JusticeKennedy’s son led a real-estate division

by Shira Tarlo
Published June 29, 2018

https://www.salon.com/2018/06/29/did-anthony-kennedys-son-loan-donald-trump-1-billion/#.WzadpzQ5KGg.twitter

#CorporateFascism #Corporatism #SCOTUSIsCorrupt #ScrotusSunday #ScrotusIsCorrupt #SCROTUS #SCOTUS

Did Anthony Kennedy's son loan Donald Trump $1 billion?

Salon.com