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☆ Abortion was a hot topic in the 2022 midterms. Here's how an abortion clinic in Ohio plans to move forward after the end of Roe v. Wade.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Alexandra York | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The executive director of an independent Ohio clinic shares her plans for keeping the business open. At the same time, abortion clinics are navigating the new normal. While abortion access is temporarily restored in Ohio, limited timelines mean the viability to run an independent clinic is shrinking. Sri Thakkilapati, the interim executive director at the Cleveland independent abortion clinic Preterm, is trying to balance the two realities. It's always been our mission to destigmatize abortion and support patients through whatever reproductive-health decisions they make.

Under this doctrine, they contend that the U.S. Constitution gives state legislatures, and not other entities such as state courts, power over election rules and electoral district maps. The Republican lawmakers have argued that the state court unconstitutionally usurped the North Carolina General Assembly's authority to regulate federal elections. 'CONFUSION AND CHAOS'Jason Snead, a conservative elections expert who embraces the doctrine, said the North Carolina case gives the Supreme Court an opportunity to "shut down a lot of the confusion and chaos" occurring around elections. The North Carolina Supreme Court struck down the map on Feb. 4, finding the districts were crafted to dilute the "fundamental right to equal voting power" of Democrats. A lower state court then rejected a redrawn map by Republican lawmakers and adopted one devised by a bipartisan group of experts.

☆ Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner Asks Court to Halt Impeachment
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Scott Calvert | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, re-elected last year to a second four-year term, is one of several liberal prosecutors who have taken office around the U.S. in recent years. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner asked a state court to halt the impeachment proceedings that could result in his removal from office, as the Republican-led Pennsylvania Senate prepares to put the twice-elected prosecutor on trial next month. Mr. Krasner, a Democrat, claimed in a lawsuit filed Friday that none of the seven impeachment articles approved by the House last month allege “misbehavior in office” within the meaning of the state Constitution, and that the legislature lacks authority to impeach him. The suit also said the Nov. 16 House vote is void because it came during a two-year session that ended Nov. 30.

☆ Colorado grandmother sues police detective following SWAT raid based on false 'Find my iPhone' ping
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Julianne Mcshane | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

The complaint specifies Johnson is suing Staab “in his individual capacity.” Johnson is seeking a jury trial and unspecified damages, according to the filing. The complaint contends that Staab's affidavit violated Johnson's right, afforded by the state constitution, to "be free of unreasonable searches and seizures." Staab then used that claim as the basis for the raid, according to a copy of the affidavit obtained by NBC affiliate KUSA of Denver. The filing claims that Staab "acknowledged to Ms. Johnson’s children the harm his DPD officers caused to Ms. Johnson’s well-being, home, and personal property," but that he told them the police department wouldn't pay for repairs from the search. Neither Staab nor the police department apologized for the raid, according to the complaint.

☆ Dispute over North Carolina congressional districts tees up major elections case at Supreme Court
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Lawrencehurley_Pic.Jpg | Lawrence Hurley | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +9 min

WASHINGTON — When the North Carolina Supreme Court struck down the Republican-drawn congressional district maps in February, Rep. Tim Moore, the Republican speaker of the state’s House of Representatives, reached for some potent ammunition. Moore said in an interview that he backed the theory because it is the only way to challenge a state court ruling that he believes was not based on law or precedent. Republicans, led by Moore, immediately asked the Supreme Court to reinstate the maps. Gary D. Robertson / AP fileThe independent state legislature theory claims state legislatures have the final say over election laws, potentially shielding their actions from state courts. He also said he believed that the governor had the power to veto elections legislation, a procedure cast into doubt by at least one interpretation of the independent state legislature theory.

The move was criticized by some mental health professionals who said the city should focus on long-term solutions and avoid treating people who refuse. New York Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Donna Lieberman also condemned the plan. New York City continues to contend with crime on public transit. Instead, he said, the city needs sustained engagement, housing, health care support and financial assistance for those in need. “In an ideal situation, you want mental health crisis teams to be the front line.

☆ 12 Republican senators so far have broken with their party to support a bill that would protect same-sex marriage. Final passage is expected Tuesday night.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Senate will vote on a bill to protect same-sex marriage on Tuesday night. Twelve Republican senators so far have voted to advance the bill. Senators have tweaked the bill, which passed the Democratic-controlled House in July, to get GOP support. So far, 12 Republicans have cast votes in support of advancing the bill, and more could emerge when the final version comes up. A Gallup poll from June 2021 found that 70% of Americans — including 55% of Republicans — support same-sex marriage.

☆ California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he told Biden he won't run for the White House in 2024 and will support the president's expected reelection bid: 'I'm all in, count me in'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-26 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Gavin Newsom told President Biden he was backing his expected 2024 reelection campaign. "He not only beat Trump once, I think he can beat him again," the California governor said of Biden. Newsom told Politico's Jonathan Martin that he "told everyone in the White House" of his decision. Newsom "told everyone in the White House" ranging "from the chief of staff to the first lady" about his intentions, he revealed to Martin — and was firmly behind the president's expected reelection bid. "I'm all in, count me in," Newsom told the pair, per his conversation with Martin.

☆ Noncitizen Bill Makes Aliens and Diplomats D.C. Voters
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Hard as it is to believe, the mayor of Washington, D.C., might soon be elected with votes from illegal immigrants or the staff at the Chinese embassy. Last month the D.C. City Council passed a bill to expand the franchise in local elections to any adult with 30 days of residency. Mayor Muriel Bowser did not sign or veto it, so the bill was officially enacted Monday without her signature. New York City passed a noncitizen voting law that a court ruled this year was a violation of the state Constitution. No such limitation appears in the D.C. bill, meaning illegal aliens and foreign college students would be able to vote, and that’s not all.

Black voters in Louisiana are confused. Louisiana House of RepresentativesIn an unusual twist, Jordan initiated a campaign last summer for an amendment he authored to fail. Jordan was fine with the amendment not passing, even though many Black voters disagreed. The Louisiana State Penitentiary, nicknamed Angola. “I have to believe that every person of color in Louisiana would vote to have that removed from Louisiana’s Constitution.

Nov 23 (Reuters) - Georgia can enforce a law banning abortion after six weeks of pregnancy while the state appeals a lower court order striking it down, the state's highest court ruled on Wednesday. The Supreme Court of Georgia did not give a reason for its unanimous order. The state law, which originally took effect this past summer, has been challenged by Planned Parenthood and other abortion rights groups. Georgia passed a law banning abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected, usually around six weeks, in 2019. He said the state legislature could pass a new law banning abortion now that Roe is overturned.

☆ Homebuyers who fled to Florida to escape high taxes are now shocked at their massive tax bills
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A Florida law caps property taxes at 3% a year for existing homebuyers. The tax bills have come as a shock for some, who may have to consider moving out of the state. Anyone who bought a Florida property in 2022 will be in the same situation next year. Corporate homebuyers are also getting hit with higher tax billsDeeply resourced, large-scale homebuyers are getting caught off guard, too. Some local governments in Texas have argued for increasing property taxes in order to finance things like hurricane relief, the Texas Tribune reported.

Democrats could have prevailed had their state party — which was busy deflecting progressive criticism of their conduct — marshaled better infrastructure and financial support for swing-district candidates. The icing on this rotten cake is that New York Democrats have no one to blame but themselves. Facing challenging new maps, Maloney and his moderate allies panicked that many of the popular progressives who had already announced their candidacies simply could not win. In a moment of exceptional self-unawareness that only underscored the broader myopia of establishment New York Democrats, Maloney took the news of his loss Tuesday as an opportunity to swipe at Ocasio-Cortez. Seth Wenig / AP fileBetween interparty bad blood and challenging electoral maps, the Democratic Party machine also appeared uninterested or unable to translate Democratic enthusiasm into meaningful on-the-ground organizing.

[1/2] Abortion rights protesters participate in nationwide demonstrations following the leaked Supreme Court opinion suggesting the possibility of overturning the Roe v. Wade abortion rights decision, in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., May 14, 2022. REUTERS/Alyssa PointerNov 15 (Reuters) - A Georgia law banning abortion after six weeks of pregnancy cannot be enforced, a state judge ruled on Tuesday, handing a victory to Planned Parenthood and other abortion rights groups that challenged the restriction when it took effect this summer. The law was previously blocked under Roe, but it took effect in July, after the U.S. Supreme Court's June ruling gave states the power to restrict abortion. Around a dozen states have enforced near-total abortion bans since the end of Roe v. Wade, many like Georgia in the southeast region of the United States. Solicitor General Stephen Petrany argued at the time that the law was in line with the state's interest to protect "unborn children."

☆ Several Kentucky supreme court justices sound skeptical of state's near-total abortion ban
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Attendees march during a rally encouraging voters to vote yes on Amendment 2, which would add a permanent abortion ban to Kentuckys state constitution, on the steps of the Kentucky State Capitol in Frankfort, Kentucky, on October 1, 2022. Several Kentucky supreme court justices on Tuesday sounded skeptical of the state's abortion ban, one of the most restrictive in the U.S., during oral arguments in a case that will decide whether women have any access to the procedure in the foreseeable future. Justice Michelle Keller, who once practiced as a registered nurse, said the state constitution protects the right to self-determination. Heather Gatnarek, an ACLU attorney representing the plaintiffs, said Kentucky's abortion ban causes irreparable injury to the patients the state's two abortion clinics serve by forcing them to remain pregnant against their will, subjecting them to physical and mental health risks. If they do block the near-total ban while litigation continues in a lower court, a 15-week abortion ban that's also on the books would remain in effect.

☆ The pro-choice movement is jubilant after the midterms turned the anti-abortion tide
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-13 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

The midterms proved that voters want to defend abortion access. Smith told Insider that, like many others, while she eagerly awaited the midterm results, the young man popped into her head. Timmaraju told Insider that they'd shifted resources over the summer into getting out the vote. "I think the moral of the story is young voters and women voters saved the day, saved Democrats." Melissa Fowler, the chief program officer of the National Abortion Federation, told Insider that, "Now the country has heard loud and clear that people support abortion access.

☆ Teachers Unions Buy a ‘Millionaire Tax’ in Massachusetts
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-12 | by ( Steven Malanga | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Only recently, Massachusetts media described the state government as “awash in cash.” State revenue in 2022 increased 20%, spurring higher spending and triggering $2.94 billion in taxpayer rebates. The last thing one might have expected, then, was a big tax increase. But on Tuesday Bay State voters approved a $2 billion hike in the form of an amendment to the state constitution adding a 4% surcharge on incomes above $1 million—with much of the revenue designated for schools.

The ballot measure amended the state constitution to enshrine expansion for Medicaid health care coverage to all adults who earn up to 138% of the federal poverty level. Eliot Fishman, the senior director of health policy for the health care advocacy group Families USA, said that in South Dakota parents with practically any work income were ineligible for Medicaid. It took over two years, because advocates first pursued the process in South Dakota in October 2020. Supporters cheer for South Dakota Gov. Medicaid expansion, however, would not remain its focus.

☆ Factbox: State supreme court elections will shape fights over redistricting, abortion
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Joseph Ax | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Nov 9 (Reuters) - The outcome of state supreme court races in Tuesday's midterm elections could have profound consequences for control of the U.S. Congress in the future, as well as abortion rights in several states. The races, typically a political afterthought, emerged as electoral battlegrounds this year, especially after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in June to eliminate a nationwide right to abortion. The new court could also look more favorably on abortion restrictions, although North Carolina's Democratic governor, Roy Cooper, holds veto power over legislation. The new court is also likely to hear a challenge to the state's six-week abortion ban, with litigation working its way through lower courts. The court had been expected to weigh in on the state's 1931 abortion ban, but voters approved a referendum enshrining abortion rights in the state constitution, effectively making the law moot.

☆ AOC says 'it's so out of touch to imply that abortion isn't an economic issue' after reproductive rights were at the top of voters' minds in the midterms
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Reproductive rights got big wins in the midterms as voters chose to protect abortion access in five states. As the GOP sought to block abortions, AOC said it's "out of touch" to consider the issue separate from the economy. She referred to the lack of guaranteed healthcare and childcare that often comes alongside stripping abortion rights. At the midterm elections, abortion was a key concern for voters after the bombshell Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade this summer. Even in Republican and swing states, it was clear protecting the right to an abortion was a major concern for voters.

Voters in states from across the political spectrum chose to enshrine abortion rights on Tuesday, a major victory for reproductive rights advocates in the first national election since the fall of Roe v. Wade in June. While the amendment’s defeat will not change whether Kentucky residents have abortion access if the state Supreme Court continues to allow a ban that is currently being challenged, abortion rights advocates were thrilled by voters’ support. Meanwhile, voters in two Democratic states, California and Vermont, chose to officially protect abortion rights in their constitutions. Democrats said they care most about abortion rights, while Republicans said their biggest concern was inflation, according to the poll. “Until there’s a new federal right, state constitutions are really the best avenue to ensure reproductive rights and abortion rights in any given state,” she said.

The first was Democrat Wes Moore, who beat Republican Dan Cox, becoming Maryland’s first Black governor, and only the third Black governor in the country. Black female candidates hoped to make history across gender and racial lines in several states, from Rep. Val Demings and Aramis Ayala in Florida to Chelsea Clark in Ohio and several women bidding to be the country’s first Black female governor. Although many of these key races ended in upsets for the Black female Democratic candidates, some states have ushered in new progressive representation. And in Massachusetts, Democrat Andrea Campbell beat out Republican Jay McMahon to become the state’s first Black female attorney general. “What we just saw in the midterms is that these Black women were able to inspire multiracial coalitions that enabled their wins.

Closely watched state Supreme Court races in which divisive issues such as abortion rights and redistricting fueled political donations and record campaign fundraising ended with mixed results on Election Day. Republican Supreme Court Justice Pat DeWine speaks to supporters at an election watch party on November 8, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio. Andrew Spear / Getty ImagesIn North Carolina, Republicans were victorious, claiming the two open seats on the state Supreme Court and flipping its makeup to a 5-2 Republican majority — clinching power for the first time in six years. The 6th Supreme Court District is comprised of 13 largely Republican-leaning counties, and eight of them rejected the amendment, she added. While the state Legislature is controlled by Republicans, voters may not have been swayed by politics when it came to deciding who sits on the state Supreme Court.

Kentucky voters rejected a ballot proposal that would have amended the state constitution to explicitly say it does not protect a right to abortion, NBC News projects. It would have been nearly impossible to restore abortion access in Kentucky through legal pathways if the measure had passed, said Rachel Sweet, a campaign manager for Protect Kentucky Access, which opposed the referendum. As of early Wednesday, voters in California, Vermont and Michigan have voted to enshrine abortion rights in their state constitutions. In reversing the half-century precedent, the court left the power to limit or grant abortion rights to the states. That triggered one ballot measure on abortion in Kansas over the summer, and five more this fall.

☆ Slavery rejected in some, not all, states where on ballot
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Voters in three states approved ballot measures that will change their state constitutions to prohibit slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for crime, while those in a fourth state rejected the move. The measures approved Tuesday curtail the use of prison labor in Alabama, Tennessee and Vermont. In Louisiana, a former slave-holding state, voters rejected a ballot question known as Amendment 7 that asked whether they supported a constitutional amendment to prohibit the use of involuntary servitude in the criminal justice system. After Tuesday’s vote, more than a dozen states still have constitutions that include language permitting slavery and involuntary servitude for prisoners. Several other states have no constitutional language for or against the use of forced prison labor.

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