Poli Alert Political & Civics

Jake Johnson, Common Dreams A federal judge on Monday blocked a provision of a recently enacted Florida law that the ACLU characterized as a “clear and brazen attack on civic participation in our democracy.” S.B. 7050, which Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law in May, would have imposed $50,000 …

In the wake of last week’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling ending race-based affirmative action in college admissions, a coalition of civil rights groups on Monday filed a lawsuit challenging Harvard University’s preferential treatment of applicants related to alumni and donors—a policy the litigants say “severely damages and harms” prospective students …

The Supreme Court ruling in the case of 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, which involved a Christian website designer who didn’t want to create wedding websites for same-sex couples, has raised legal questions regarding businesses’ ability to refuse service to LGBTQ individuals or same-sex couples. Legal experts have varied opinions …

Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Sunday warned of an “authoritarian expansion of power” by the Supreme Court and demanded that lawmakers on Capitol Hill use all of their oversight authority to probe and stop the corruption inside the Supreme Court. “The courts, if they were to proceed without any check …

Piper Hutchinson, Louisiana Illuminator As promised, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, has vetoed three anti-LGBTQ+ bills the state’s Republican-majority legislature approved. In his veto messages, Edwards called out the bills as harmful for youth, discriminatory and extremist. “The effects of this bill may be to simply give legislative …

Candice Norwood Originally published by The 19th In her first year sitting on the U.S. Supreme Court, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson ensured her voice was heard. She has spoken during oral arguments more than any other justice, written several solo dissents and pushed for historical context that is often dismissed …

According to federal authorities, a Trump supporter, Taylor Taranto, who participated in storming the Capitol on January 6, 2021, was arrested near former President Barack Obama’s home. When he was arrested, he had two guns and 400 rounds of ammunition in his van, which he appeared to be living in. …

The Supreme Court ruled on Friday that a Christian web designer has a First Amendment right to refuse to create websites for same-sex weddings. The decision, made by a 6-3 vote, dilutes legal protections for LGBTQ people and allows for potential discrimination in businesses. Lorie Smith, the evangelical Christian web …

Originally published by The 19th President Joe Biden announced Friday that he plans to pursue new avenues to forgive student debt after the Supreme Court blocked the relief plan he had announced last year to eliminate up to $20,000 in loans for borrowers earning under $125,000 annually. First, Biden said, …

Ariana Figueroa, Georgia Recorder The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday ruled that the Biden administration does not have the legal authority to enact a one-time student debt relief program, dealing a blow to the 40 million Americans who would have qualified. Last year, the Biden Administration rolled out a debt …

Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix Florida’s sweeping anti-immigration bill is set to go into effect this Saturday, and critics of the law warned Wednesday that it will impact far more than the undocumented immigrant population. “Floridians will see higher costs for our groceries due to worker shortages, longer waits at restaurants, …

Ariana Figueroa, Arkansas Advocate U.S. House Education and Workforce Committee Democrats on Thursday announced the introduction of a bill to increase civil and criminal penalties for employers who knowingly violate child labor laws. The measure would also prevent states from easing federal child labor standards. The bill, The Protecting Children …

The Supreme Court is expected to announce its rulings on student loan forgiveness and LGBTQ protections on Friday, which are the final cases before the Court begins its summer recess. In a recent ruling, the conservative-majority court declared race-conscious admissions policies at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina …

President Joe Biden criticized the recent Supreme Court ruling that undermined affirmative action programs in higher education during a speech at the White House. “This is not a normal court,” Biden said in response to a question from a reporter following his remarks. “The truth is, we all know it, …

Brett Wilkins, Common Dreams In the wake of Thursday’s annihilation of affirmative action by the Supreme Court’s right-wing supermajority in a pair of highly anticipated rulings, progressive U.S. lawmakers and other advocates committed to “fighting back” by reforming higher education—and the judiciary itself. Responding to the high court’s 6-3 ruling …