Key congressional Democrats have asked the former federal judge who reviewed the Supreme Court’s investigation into the leak of a draft abortion opinion to provide them with more information about his involvement following a CNN exclusive report
Key congressional Democrats have asked the former federal judge who reviewed the Supreme Court’s investigation into the leak of a draft abortion opinion to provide them with more information about his involvement following a CNN exclusive report that revealed he had longstanding financial ties with the court.
Key congressional Democrats have asked the former federal judge who reviewed the Supreme Court’s investigation into the leak of a draft abortion opinion to provide them with more information about his involvement following a CNN exclusive report that revealed he had longstanding financial ties with the court. Their letter to Michael Chertoff – also a former secretary of the Department of Homeland Security – points to CNN’s Joan Biskupic’s exclusive reporting that Chertoff’s risk assessment firm had been privately contracted by the court in recent years for security assessments as well as his personal connection with some justices. CNN’s reporting of his firm’s prior work for the Supreme Court – which reached at least $1 million in payments – raised questions about whether he could be an objective validator of the leak investigation. “The Court’s failure to explain adequately why it felt a third-party review was necessary, how it chose that reviewer, and its preexisting relationship with the reviewer all warrant additional clarity,” the February 23 letter from Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse and Rep. Hank Johnson said. Whitehouse, of Rhode Island, chairs the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee with oversight over the courts and has been a vocal critic of the conservative-dominated court and its recent decisions. Johnson, a Georgia representative, is the ranking member of the counterpart subcommittee in the House. Ellen Murray, a spokesperson for the Chertoff Group, told CNN Wednesday that the group received the letter and was working on a response. The Democrats’ letter asks Chertoff for more information about the previous work he and the firm the Chertoff Group did for the court, and about the process by which he applied for those projects. They also noted CNN’s reporting that Chertoff has some personal connections to some of the justices and asked the former judge if he maintains “personal relationships with any of the justices” and if so, “with whom and of what nature.” They seek information about who contacted Chertoff to bring him on for the review and when. Their letter asks for more details about how his review was conducted – including whether he was provided the call and text records of court personnel that they had handed over to Supreme Court Marshal Gail Curley, who spearheaded the probe. When the Supreme Court released a public summary of the findings of Curley’s investigation into the unprecedented disclosure of the draft abortion opinion to Politico, it also released a statement from Chertoff endorsing how Curley carried out the probe. The congressional Democrats wrote in their letter that, in “this Court matter, peculiarities abound, including the different treatment given to the justices, the Court’s suggestion that the motive may have been a ‘misguided attempt at protest,’ and the use of a third party to review the Marshal’s investigation.” The lawmakers said they are “working on legislation regarding the internal investigative capabilities at the Court.” This story has been updated with additional information Wednesday..The ballot measure at stake in Tuesday’s special election was one of several such measures on cannabis use that has been considered by voters in recent months. Oklahoma’s measure would have allowed for possession of up to 1 ounce of marijuana and the growth of up to six mature marijuana plants and up to six seedlings. If it had passed, there would also have been a 15% tax of sales for recreational marijuana in the state. Supporters of legalizing recreational marijuana in the Sooner State had pushed to see this measure on the ballot for years. Due to legal challenges and ballot inclusion deadlines, State Question 820 was left off the ballot in November. During the midterms, voters in five states considered legalizing recreational marijuana. Ballot measures in November failed in Arkansas, North Dakota and South Dakota, while voters in Maryland and Missouri were able to pass similar ballot measures. Is medical marijuana legal in Oklahoma? Yes. In 2018, Oklahoma approved a ballot measure legalizing the use, sale and growth of medical marijuana. Recreational use of marijuana, however, remains illegal in the state. Who was for and against the measure? Supporters of the measure argued the legalization would bring in new tax revenue. Yes on 820, a campaign in favor of recreational marijuana legalization, released an economic analysis completed by Vicente Sederberg LLP and the Oklahoma Cannabis Industry Association. It found the state could gain $821 million in medical and recreational taxes over four years if the measure passed, with $434 million coming solely from the new recreational tax. GOP lawmakers in Oklahoma had been vocal about opposing the measure leading up to the election. “Oklahoma has seen marijuana use skyrocket, hurting our communities and families,” US Sen. James Lankford tweeted last week. “Protect our kids by voting NO on March 7 on State Question 820 to protect our state from a dramatic increase of Marijuana sales.” Oklahoma GOP Gov. Kevin Stitt said in a news briefing last month that he “thinks it’s a bad idea” because recreational marijuana is still illegal federally and believes “the feds need to make a decision about marijuana.” Those opposed to recreational marijuana in Oklahoma, including Stitt, had also noted that the state already has medical marijuana. “We already have medical marijuana to help the sick or the people that need it for pain relief, etc. And so, I think marijuana is bad for young people,” Stitt said. “I think people need to understand the side effects of that. I think we need to be protecting Oklahoma from a recreational standpoint.” Michelle Tilley, Yes on 820 campaign director, argued that people in Oklahoma “should have access to marijuana without having to go through those steps” required to receive medical marijuana. “There are people who use marijuana recreationally, much like you would go and have a glass of wine or a beer,” Tilley said. “We think that there needs to be a safe, regulated product here in Oklahoma for those people to purchase without the threat of being arrested or put into jail and have their lives ruined.” This story has been updated with CNN’s projection in the special election..Former Vice President Mike Pence has filed a motion asking a judge to block a federal grand jury subpoena for his testimony related to January 6 on the grounds that he is protected by the Constitution’s Speech or Debate Clause, according to a source familiar with the filing. Pence had publicly signaled that he planned to resist the subpoena, arguing it was “unconstitutional and unprecedented.” His legal team filed the motion Friday night, the same day former President Donald Trump’s attorneys asked a judge to block Pence from speaking to a grand jury about certain matters covered by executive privilege. The Pence motion seeks to stop testimony pertaining to his legislative functions around January 6, which could potentially include a broad swath of testimony. It is separate from Trump’s motion, which argues that the former president can shield former aides from sharing internal communications. Special counsel Jack Smith is seeking documents and testimony related to January 6, 2021, and wants Pence to testify about his interactions with Trump leading up to the 2020 election and the day of the attack on the US Capitol. But the former vice president asserts that because he was also acting as president of the Senate that day, he is shielded by the Speech or Debate Clause, which protects lawmakers from certain law enforcement actions targeted at their legislative duties. Pence has written a memoir detailing his interactions with Trump leading up to January 6, which could complicate efforts to resist the subpoena. His team previously indicated to the Justice Department that he’d be open to answering questions if they were limited to the matters he had previously discussed publicly, including in his book, a source told CNN. Pence’s legal team did not comment. The Justice Department also did not comment. Since taking over the investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election, Smith, who has a reputation for moving quickly, has accelerated the probe’s pace and began imposing tight deadlines on subpoenas. Smith also is simultaneously investigating Trump’s handling of classified documents after leaving office. Trump huddled with several members of his legal team at his Mar-A-Lago resort in Palm Beach last week to discuss Smith’s investigations, according to a source familiar with the meeting. Smith recently subpoenaed Trump’s former chief of staff Mark Meadows and Trump’s former national security adviser Robert O’Brien in both of the Trump-related probes, and investigators have sat down with his former acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf as part of the probe into 2020 election interference..published Monday at 2:25 a.m. ET..
.
Read more:
CNN »
2 Americans kidnapped in Mexico found dead and 2 found alive, officials say | CNN
Two of the four Americans kidnapped by armed gunmen in the Mexico border city of Matamoros on Friday were found dead and two were found alive on Tuesday, US and Mexican officials said. Read more >>
I think the Seditious Spouse did it to draw attention away from the Spousal Sedition Scheme.
Oklahoma voters will reject legalization of recreational marijuana, CNN projects | CNN PoliticsVoters in Oklahoma will reject a ballot measure that would have legalized recreational marijuana in the state for adults ages 21 and older, CNN projects. Coulda been Toklahoma L why? Let people smoke if they want to. So much for a free country Yet I’m sure they enjoy their booze being legal ok got it 🙄
Mike Pence asks judge to block subpoena for Jan. 6 testimony | CNN PoliticsFormer Vice President Mike Pence has filed a motion asking a judge to block a federal grand jury subpoena for his testimony related to January 6 on the grounds that he is protected by the Constitution’s Speech or Debate Clause, according to a source familiar with the filing. Tried to hang him and he’s still a coward. Unbelievable. What’s he frightened of? Just testify keep Trump out of the White House and in jail where he belongs,
Democrats see Fox News’ latest controversy as ‘a seminal moment’Conversations around how Democrats should react to the bombshell allegations against Fox News show this isn’t just another controversy for the network. (via MaddowBlog) MaddowBlog Propaganda channel nothing to look at MaddowBlog Now do CNN MaddowBlog Fox News viewers being told Fox News admitted lying to viewers.
Supreme Court allows athiests’ suit against Florida cityThe plaintiffs in the case, including Ocala resident Art Rojas, said that as an atheist, he was offended that the local government appeared to be endorsing a specific religion in violation of the F…
US Supreme Court rebuffs Florida city’s challenge to atheist lawsuitThe U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a Florida city’s bid to fend off a lawsuit by atheists accusing officials of violating constitutional limits on government involvement in religion by staging a prayer vigil following gun violence that wounded three children.
Exclusive: Microsoft disputes U.K. regulator’s key Call of Duty statExclusive: Microsoft says the U.K. regulator that might block its Activision Blizzard acquisition has significantly overcounted the potential impact of making the Call of Duty franchise exclusive to Xbox and PC.
