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Senator Gillibrand Renews Call to Bar Elected Officials from Sponsoring Digital Assets Amidst Regulatory Debates

Senator Gillibrand Renews Call to Bar Elected Officials from Sponsoring Digital Assets Amidst Regulatory Debates

In July 2026, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand renewed her call to prohibit elected officials and their spouses from issuing or sponsoring digital assets. This action comes amidst ongoing discussions in the United States regarding federal and international digital asset regulation, with market structure, ethics, investor protection, and illicit finance risks remaining central themes. The Senate Digital Assets Subcommittee Chair Cynthia Lummis released updated text for the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (CLARITY Act), which Senator Elizabeth Warren criticized as insufficient concerning conflicts of interest, investor protection, and national security. Separately, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution opposing any pardon or clemency for FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried. Regulators, including SEC Chairman Paul Atkins and Commissioner Hester Peirce, are also advancing oversight through rulemaking efforts and cross-border policy recommendations, with crypto-related rulemaking identified as a key part of the SEC’s...

Surrogate asks the Supreme Court to intervene over care for a sick baby

Surrogate asks the Supreme Court to intervene over care for a sick baby

A California couple’s surrogate who refused their wishes to have an abortion is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene in a custody dispute over the 4-week-old child who was born with a serious heart defect

National Immigration Project Files Amicus Brief Urging Supreme Court to Dismiss Mandatory Detention Case After Pardon

National Immigration Project Files Amicus Brief Urging Supreme Court to Dismiss Mandatory Detention Case After Pardon

The National Immigration Project (NIPNLG) has filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court in the case of *Genalo v. G.M.* The brief supports Keisy G.M., whose mandatory detention under 8 U.S.C. § 1226(c) was based solely on a single conviction. New York Governor Kathy Hochul pardoned this conviction in August, which the NIPNLG argues eliminates the basis for detention and renders the case moot. Consequently, the organization urges the Supreme Court to dismiss the case or, at minimum, remand it to lower courts to assess the pardon's impact before the Supreme Court intervenes. The brief also advises the Court against addressing issues not directly presented in this case, specifically mentioning questions about due process for detention based on mere suspicion under the Laken Riley Act, and the necessity of a bond hearing for individuals detained long after release from criminal custody.

U.S. Bishops Urge Supreme Court to Uphold Local Firearm Regulation Amidst Second Amendment Case

U.S. Bishops Urge Supreme Court to Uphold Local Firearm Regulation Amidst Second Amendment Case

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court, advocating for the preservation of local communities' authority to regulate firearms. This intervention comes as the Supreme Court prepares to hear *Viramontes v. Cook County*, a case challenging Cook County, Illinois' ban on over 100 types of semi-automatic weapons, including the AR-15 platform. Plaintiffs Cutberto Viramontes and Christopher Khaya argue that the ban infringes upon Second and 14th Amendment rights and seek a ruling to clarify Second Amendment precedents. The bishops contend that modern weaponry, such as AR-15s, is fundamentally different from 18th-century arms and thus subject to reasonable regulation. They emphasize that America's tradition of federalism supports local autonomy in gun control, aligning with the Catholic principle of subsidiarity, which posits that issues are best handled by the authority closest to the need. While acknowledging the Second Amendment, the bishops argue that a uniform c...

ABA Accreditation Council Repeals Diversity Standard Amidst Federal Pressure

ABA Accreditation Council Repeals Diversity Standard Amidst Federal Pressure

The American Bar Association’s (ABA) accreditation council has voted 10 to 6 to repeal Standard 206, a rule that mandated law schools demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion among their students, faculty, and staff. This decision, made at a special meeting on Tuesday, is final and effective immediately. While law schools can still prioritize diversity, the council, as a quality-assurance body, can no longer require it for accreditation. This move comes after years of debate, with critics arguing the standard violated the 2023 Supreme Court ruling against race-conscious college admissions. The Trump administration had also cited Standard 206 as a reason to potentially strip the ABA accreditation council of its federal recognition, which is crucial for law schools to qualify for federal student aid and for their graduates to be eligible for attorney licenses across states. The Education Department had officially recommended derecognition in August, with a final decision pending after a September ...

Supreme Court Rejects Religious Vaccine Exemption for Kindergartener in New York

Supreme Court Rejects Religious Vaccine Exemption for Kindergartener in New York

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined an emergency appeal from a mother in New York seeking a religious exemption for her son from state vaccination requirements for school entry. The decision, issued on September 8, allows New York to maintain its stance that the kindergartener cannot attend school while his mother's lawsuit challenging the vaccination rules proceeds. Lower courts had previously ruled that the mother was unlikely to succeed in her request for a religious exemption and thus denied her son enrollment in an Eastchester, New York kindergarten. Justices Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch indicated they would have granted the mother's request. The mother, a practicing Catholic, argues that additional vaccine doses for polio, chickenpox, and other diseases violate her faith, citing objections to 'biological material derived from unclean sources.' This ruling comes amidst a measles outbreak and a broader political debate surrounding childhood vaccinations, with data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Con...

Colorado River Basin States Face Potential Supreme Court Litigation Over Water Scarcity

Colorado River Basin States Face Potential Supreme Court Litigation Over Water Scarcity

The seven states within the Colorado River Basin are on the brink of potential Supreme Court litigation as the river's flow at Lee's Ferry, Arizona, is projected to fall below a critical threshold by October. This threshold, outlined in the 1922 Colorado River Compact, dictates the minimum flow required for downstream states. If the flow drops below this 'tripwire,' it could trigger prolonged and costly legal battles. Experts warn that such litigation could lead to severe water cuts for cities, farmers, and ranchers in Colorado and other basin states. Tensions have been high due to a historic drought and record-breaking winter temperatures, which have severely impacted water supplies. The federal government intervened in August with a plan imposing significant water cuts on Arizona, Nevada, and California after states failed to reach a consensus. Nevada has already sued the Bureau of Reclamation over this plan. Tribal nations, legally entitled to over 25% of the river's water, may also pursue legal action ...

Critics Urge Supreme Court to Reject 7th Circuit's Distinction on AR-15 Bans

Critics Urge Supreme Court to Reject 7th Circuit's Distinction on AR-15 Bans

Critics are urging the Supreme Court to reject the 7th Circuit's ruling that upheld an AR-15 ban in Cook County, Illinois. The 7th Circuit previously distinguished between civilian and military arms, asserting that 'assault weapons' like the AR-15 fall on the military side and are not covered by the Second Amendment. Solicitor General D. John Sauer, in a brief, argues this distinction is misguided and ahistorical, stating that the founders would have been astonished by claims that legislatures could ban commonly used arms if they also have military purposes. The Supreme Court is considering this case, Viramontes v. Cook County, alongside Grant v. Higgins, which involves a similar Connecticut law. Petitioners contend that AR-15s are covered by the Second Amendment because they are 'in common use' for 'lawful purposes like self-defense,' a test established by the Supreme Court in 2008 when it overturned the District of Columbia's handgun ban.

Surrogate Mother Seeks Supreme Court Intervention in Custody Battle Over Baby with Heart Condition

Surrogate Mother Seeks Supreme Court Intervention in Custody Battle Over Baby with Heart Condition

McKenna West, a surrogate mother, has filed an emergency application with the U.S. Supreme Court, asking Justice Elena Kagan to temporarily block a California ruling that recognized the biological parents, Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed, as the legal parents of the child. West, an Alaska nurse, carried and gave birth to the baby in Texas. The dispute arose after the baby was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome at 20 weeks, a serious congenital heart defect. The biological parents sought an abortion, citing a provision in their surrogacy agreement for serious fetal abnormalities. West refused to terminate the pregnancy, stating her belief in the baby's treatable condition and her personal conviction. She subsequently moved to Texas, a state with strict abortion laws, to seek medical care for the baby. The baby was born on August 12 and has undergone at least one life-saving surgery. A Dallas court initially granted a temporary restraining order against West, preventing her from making medical dec...

Representative Jake Auchincloss Advocates for Proportional Representation to Combat Gerrymandering

Representative Jake Auchincloss Advocates for Proportional Representation to Combat Gerrymandering

Representative Jake Auchincloss has publicly endorsed multi-member districts as a potential solution to gerrymandering, as stated in a recent Substack note. This advocacy follows a Boston Globe opinion piece that suggests proportional representation is the answer to partisan gerrymandering, especially after the Supreme Court has limited legal avenues for challenging such practices. Auchincloss's support for this electoral reform indicates a growing discussion among policymakers regarding alternative voting systems to ensure fairer representation. The concept of multi-member districts involves electing multiple representatives from a single district, which proponents argue could lead to more diverse political outcomes and reduce the impact of drawing district lines to favor one party.

Congressman John B. Larson Joins Bipartisan Brief Urging Supreme Court to Block President Trump's Mail-In Voting Order

Congressman John B. Larson Joins Bipartisan Brief Urging Supreme Court to Block President Trump's Mail-In Voting Order

Congressman John B. Larson (CT-01), alongside a bipartisan coalition of 261 lawmakers, has filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court of the United States. The brief, submitted in the case of United States Postal Service v. State of California, urges the court to reject President Trump’s executive order concerning mail-in voting. According to Larson and the coalition, this order is an unconstitutional attempt to control the mail-in voting process and follows previous threats by President Trump to 'nationalize our elections.' The lawmakers argue that the order violates the separation of powers and Article I of the U.S. Constitution, which grants states and Congress exclusive authority over election administration. They contend that the President's order seeks to empower Trump officials to determine voter eligibility by giving the Postal Service control over who can vote by mail. Larson stated that President Trump is determined to interfere with a free and fair election, referencing the 'SAVE America Act' ...

ABA Accreditation Council to Vote on Contentious Diversity Standard Amid Trump Administration Pressure

ABA Accreditation Council to Vote on Contentious Diversity Standard Amid Trump Administration Pressure

The American Bar Association’s accreditation council is scheduled to make a final decision on Tuesday regarding the repeal of a long-standing standard that mandates law schools demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion through concrete action. This vote follows years of intense debate and comes just two weeks after the Department of Education recommended denying federal recognition to the ABA’s council, formally known as the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar. The Trump administration has been actively attacking diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and accreditors, citing the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision banning race consideration in admissions as a basis for its stance. Critics of the standard argue it violates this ruling, while supporters, including many law school deans and faculty, contend that ensuring diversity in the legal sector is crucial for American democracy and that the Supreme Court ruling does not prohibit all efforts to support marginalized groups...