Vision 2020

Without question, one of the highest stakes in the 2020 election is the president’s ability to make judicial appointments. It’s also not an issue voters often think much about. In 2016, however, Donald Trump succeeded in making the Supreme Court part of a potent appeal to a key segment of his party’s conservative base. This time around, he will likely do so again, and Democrats may try to convince voters that key constitutional rights will be lost if Joe Biden doesn’t nominate the next justice. But it’s a picture complicated by the Supreme Court term that just ended, which muddied the waters for both parties. … [Read more...] about Can Trump Make the Supreme Court a Campaign Issue Again?

Now there is a convoluted scenario whereby Garland might be confirmed in a post-election lame-duck session if Hillary Clinton has won the presidential election and Democrats have retaken control of the Senate. Facing a potentially more liberal nomination from Clinton and the likely invocation of the “nuclear option” by Senate Democrats to take away the filibuster weapon against SCOTUS confirmations, maybe Republicans would decide to put Garland on the Court as the least of many evils. Even then, many conservatives in the Senate would shrink from the intraparty consequences of voting for a baby-killing defender of executive tyranny. But that could be the only way Garland makes it to the Court. Precisely because he’s a white-bread 60-something jurist who already has a lifetime appointment to the best non-SCOTUS judicial gig in the land, nobody’s going to get that upset if she turns elsewhere. He’s the perfect sacrificial nominee. … [Read more...] about Get Serious: Supreme Court Nominee Merrick Garland Is Not Going to Be Confirmed Before November

“Ocasio-Cortez and Ayanna Pressley’s stunning upsets revealed that there’s enormous appetite among Democrats for primary challengers to take on incumbents who are out-of-touch with their districts,” Sean McElwee, executive director of the progressive firm Data for Progress said. “Progressives have an opportunity to strategically primary the most vile Democrats in their ranks, and Henry Cuellar should top the list.” He previously told The Daily Beast that the firm would poll match-ups in this district and others. … [Read more...] about Left-Wing Group Justice Democrats Picks Its First 2020 Primary Target: Rep. Henry Cuellar

That's how long it's been since the last federal execution. That will change today after the execution of federal prisoner Daniel Lewis Lee, pending an appeal to the US Supreme Court. His execution in Arkansas was temporarily put on hold last week after the family of his victims filed a lawsuit asking for a delay due to the pandemic -- and their fear of becoming exposed while witnessing the execution. … [Read more...] about 5 things to know for July 13: Coronavirus, schools, Hong Kong, economy, election 2020

“Our congressman claims to be a Democrat, but he’s voted with Trump nearly 70 percent of the time,” Cisneros said in her bilingual launch video. “He’s Trump’s favorite Democrat. Henry Cuellar voted to defund sanctuary cities and reproductive health services for women’s health. He’s received an A rating from the NRA. And he’s accepted thousands of dollars from private prisons and the Koch brothers.” … [Read more...] about The Group That Helped Elect AOC Has Its First 2020 Democratic Lawmaker Target