WASHINGTON — A divided Senate is set to confirm Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, giving the country a ninth justice Monday as Republicans overpower Democratic opposition to secure President Donald Trump’s nominee the week before Election Day. Democratic leaders asked Vice President Mike Pence to stay away from...
Dems Boycott as Senate Panel Advances Barrett for Supreme Court
WASHINGTON — Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans powered past a Democratic boycott Thursday to advance Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court nomination to the full Senate, keeping President Donald Trump's pick on track for confirmation before Election Day. Democratic senators refused to show up in protest of the GOP's rush to install Trump's nominee...
Justices to Weigh Trump Census Plan to Exclude Non-Citizens
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court agreed Friday to take up President Donald Trump's policy, blocked by a lower court, to exclude people living in the U.S. illegally from the census count that will be used to allocate seats in the House of Representatives. Never in U.S. history have immigrants been...
Senate Judiciary Sets Oct. 22 Vote on Barrett’s Nomination
WASHINGTON — With a vote date set, the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday debated the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett for the Supreme Court, Democrats objecting to Republicans' rush to confirm President Donald Trump's pick before the Nov. 3 election. The committee set an Oct. 22 vote to recommend Barrett’s...
Called ‘Unashamedly Pro-Life,’ Barrett Faces Senators Anew
WASHINGTON — Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett returned to Capitol Hill for a third day of confirmation hearings Wednesday, called “unashamedly pro-life” by her Republican Senate champion with Democrats running out of time to stop her quick confirmation. Senators are trying to dig deeper into the conservative judge’s outlook on abortion,...
Biden Addresses Idea of High Court Packing: ‘I’m Not a Fan’
WASHINGTON — Joe Biden says he is “not a fan” of adding seats to the Supreme Court, after weeks of avoiding questions about the idea that’s been pushed by progressives and used by Republicans to attack him. “I’ve already spoken on — I’m not a fan of court packing, but...
As Supreme Court Opens, 2 Justices Slam Gay Marriage Decision
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court, already poised to take a significant turn to the right, opened its new term Monday with a jolt from two conservative justices who raised new criticism of the court’s embrace of same-sex marriage. The justices returned from their summer break on a somber note, following...
Newsom Nominates 1st Gay to State Supreme Court
SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom nominated the first openly gay Black man to the state Supreme Court on Monday, potentially replacing one of the court's more conservative members with a former federal civil rights attorney who prosecuted cross-burnings and police misconduct cases under President Ronald Reagan. Martin Jenkins, 66, would...
Supreme Court Allows Minor Leaguers’ Class Action Over Pay
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court is allowing a class-action lawsuit to proceed from minor league baseball players who allege they are being paid less than minimum wage. The lawsuit involves minor league players in Arizona, California and Florida. The justices offered no comment Monday in rejecting Major League Baseball's appeal....
Facing a Conservative Turn, Supreme Court Opens New Term
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court began its new term Monday with a remembrance of “a dear friend and a treasured colleague,” the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Chief Justice John Roberts paid tribute to Ginsburg, who died last month, as the court resumed its work via telephone because of the...