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WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Wednesday will hear a major case that could upend election law as the justices consider whether to reinstate Republican-drawn congressional districts in North Carolina. The case, which could have a broad impact on an array of election issues, is being closely watched for its potential impact on the 2024 presidential election. Republicans led by Tim Moore, the Republican speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives, invoked the theory after the state Supreme Court in February struck down the congressional district map. Activists protest partisan gerrymandering at the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. on Mar. Moore and other Republicans immediately asked the Supreme Court to reinstate the maps, saying the state court had overstepped its authority.

But first: The results from five counties will help tell us if Democrat Raphael Warnock is on track to win tonight’s Senate runoff in Georgia. Warnock got 56.9% of the vote in Cobb when he won the Jan. 2021 runoff, and he got just under that last November (56.8%). And in Gwinnett, Warnock got 60.6% of the vote in the 2021 runoff, compared with 58.9% last month against Walker. In rural Chattooga — one of NBC News’ “County to County” counties — Warnock got just 20.5% when he won the 2021 runoff, and he got less than that in the November general election (19.8%). Data Download: The number of the day is … $7.79 billionThat’s how much money was spent on political television, radio and digital ads this entire cycle (starting the day after the 2021 Georgia Senate runoff through today’s runoff), per AdImpact.

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Monday hears the latest clash between religious conservatives and LGBTQ rights as it weighs a conservative evangelical Christian web designer's bid to avoid working on same-sex weddings. Lower courts ruled against Smith, prompting her to appeal to the Supreme Court. The remaining 21 states do not have laws explicitly protecting LGBTQ rights in public accommodations, although some local municipalities do. The court ruled on the baker case before the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy, who voted in favor of LGBTQ rights in key cases. In another major victory for LGBTQ rights, the Supreme Court in 2020 — to the surprise of many court-watchers — ruled that a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in employment protects LGBTQ employees.

Lower courts ruled against Smith, prompting her to appeal to the Supreme Court. The remaining 21 states do not have laws explicitly protecting LGBTQ rights in public accommodations, although some local municipalities do. Alliance Defending Freedom, which also represented Phillips, has had success arguing religious rights cases at the Supreme Court in recent years. The court ruled on the baker case before the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy, who voted in favor of LGBTQ rights in key cases. In another major victory for LGBTQ rights, the Supreme Court in 2020, to the surprise of many court-watchers, ruled that a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in employment protects LGBTQ employees.

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday delayed a decision on whether to grant President Joe Biden's bid to implement his student loan forgiveness plan, announcing instead that it will hear full oral arguments on an expedited basis. In a brief order, the court said it would hear arguments in February with a decision soon to follow. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday refused to lift that hold, meaning that the administration could soon appeal that case to the Supreme Court too. A federal judge had ruled that the states did not have legal standing to pursue the lawsuit, but the appeals court disagreed, focusing on a Missouri agency that services federal student loans. The overall program is anticipated to help more than 40 million borrowers, the administration has said.

☆ 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 Supreme Court on Tuesday will consider the Biden administration's effort to revive a policy that set immigration enforcement priorities by focusing on public safety threats. The administration is seeking to overturn a Texas-based federal judge's ruling in June that blocked the policy nationwide. Biden administration lawyers argue that the president has broad discretion to set enforcement priorities. A third question concerns whether the judge had the authority to block the policy even if it is unlawful. The Supreme Court voted 5-4 in July to reject the Biden administration's request to immediately restore the policy but agreed to hear oral arguments.

☆ China accused a BBC journalist of acting 'as if he were a victim' after he was beaten and arrested while covering mass COVID-19 protests in the country
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

China accused a BBC journalist of playing "victim" after he was beaten and arrested by police. Top UK officials and the BBC slammed China for the move, which China has defended. "This BBC journalist refused to cooperate with the police's law enforcement efforts and then acted as if he were a victim," China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters at a Tuesday press conference. BBC journalist Edward Lawrence was covering mass anti-government protests in Shanghai on Sunday when he was arrested and detained for several hours by local police before getting released. The arrest of BBC journalist [Edward Lawrence] in China is deeply disturbing.

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Monday questioned whether an ex-aide to former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo was lawfully convicted on a bribery charge as it considered narrowing the scope of a federal law aimed at curbing public corruption. Percoco says that because he was not working for the government at the time, he had no duty to provide honest services. The court on Monday is also hearing a second case arising from the same New York corruption investigation. Several others targeted in the investigation, including Aiello, have their own appeals pending at the Supreme Court.

☆ Macau's 6 casino operators get new licences, Malaysia's Genting out
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nov 26 (Reuters) - Macau's government said on Saturday its six incumbent casino operators would be given new licences to operate in the world's biggest gambling hub from January, with Malaysian operator Genting missing out on a spot. The highly anticipated announcement signals stability and continuity for the Macau operators who have invested more than $50 billion in the Chinese special administrative region in the past 20 years. Officials in Macau, the world's biggest casino hub, told a news briefing the main considerations for granting licences included ensuring local employment, developing overseas tourist markets and developing non-gaming projects. Sands China (1928.HK), Wynn Macau (WYNN.O), Galaxy Entertainment (0027.HK), MGM China (2282.HK), Melco Resorts (MPEy.F), and SJM Holdings (0880.HK), have operated in the Chinese special administrative region since 2002. "We are committed to Macau and its development as Asia's premier tourist destination," Lawrence Ho, chairman and chief executive of Melco, said in a statement.

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected former President Donald Trump's last-ditch plea to block the release of his tax records to House Democrats, paving the way for their possible disclosure to the lawmakers. Earlier this month, Chief Justice John Roberts temporarily blocked the Ways and Means panel from accessing Trump’s tax records while the court decided how to act on Trump’s request. House Democrats, as well as the Biden administration, urged the court to reject Trump's request, saying their demand for the tax documents reflected a valid legislative purpose. Democrats have been calling for Trump to release his tax returns ever since the 2016 presidential campaign. While no law requires presidential candidates to release their tax returns, it has become the norm for both Democrats and Republicans to do so.

Conservative Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito on Saturday strenuously denied any involvement in leaking the outcome of a 2014 ruling in a lengthy statement issued in response to a New York Times report. The court has a 6-3 conservative majority that strongly favors religious rights and frequently rules in favor of conservative Christian interests. Gayle Wright told the Times she did not obtain or pass along any information to Schenck, who has since become a supporter of abortion rights. Chief Justice John Roberts announced in May that he had launched an investigation of the leak but there has been no update since. Meanwhile, liberal members of the court have suggested that the court risks undermining its legitimacy by abruptly unraveling decades of precedent.

☆ Twitter impersonators ran amok. But has Musk really learned anything?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Kara Alaimo | Ph.D. | Is An Associate Professor At The Lawrence Herbert School Of Communication At Hofstra University | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

The only problem was the company wasn’t accurately verifying the people behind the accounts or ensuring that verified accounts hadn’t changed their names. Many people appeared to be creating obviously fake accounts to make fun of Musk and make a point about why Twitter Blue’s new system wouldn’t work. With Musk at the helm of the social media platform, it’s certainly possible for the subscription-based Twitter Blue to come back just as flawed. Given Musk’s flip-flopping nature so far, it’s safe to assume that the dangers that can come from verified spoof accounts on Twitter are still present. Not only have many verified accounts impersonated other people, but disinformation may be worsening.

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Monday declined to block the release of Arizona Republican Party Chair Kelli Ward’s phone records to the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. The justices rejected an emergency request filed by Ward, meaning that phone records associated with her T-Mobile cellphone will be disclosed to the House committee. The committee is pursuing only Kelli Ward’s records. At the Supreme Court, Ward argued that the subpoena violates her right to freedom of association under the Constitution’s First Amendment. Those actions have come under scrutiny by the Justice Department as well as the Jan. 6 committee.

WASHINGTON — The conservative-majority Supreme Court left its imprint on the 2022 elections, galvanizing Democrats with decisions on guns and abortion and potentially aiding Republicans with election rulings. For decades, it was the Republican Party that benefited from conservative anger over the Supreme Court's original ruling in Roe v. Wade. Using the new map, Republicans won five of the six districts Tuesday. Under the newly drawn map, Republicans won 20 of 28 seats. The Supreme Court's 2019 ruling said partisan gerrymandering claims could not be adjudicated by federal courts.

WASHINGTON — Justice Samuel Alito, who authored the Supreme Court ruling that upended abortion rights, was given a boisterous standing ovation Thursday at an event hosted by the Federalist Society, an influential conservative legal group. Alito, in brief remarks at the organization's 40th-anniversary gala near the Supreme Court, praised the influence the society has had on the legal landscape, with its members now spread throughout the federal judiciary. Barrett made brief remarks praising the society, saying she had "benefited immensely" from her association with it, and she got her own standing ovation when she took the stage. Leo got yet another standing ovation Thursday. Over the years, chapters were formed at law schools across the country, where students and conservatives would debate the law, thereby helping to connect people and expose them to conservative legal theories.

Among the provisions being challenged is one that gives a preference to Native Americans seeking to foster or adopt Native American children, which those challenging the law say discriminates on the basis of race. The challengers are led by Chad and Jennifer Brackeen — a white evangelical Christian couple who sought to adopt a Native American boy — as well as the states of Texas, Indiana and Louisiana. Tribes have also warned that a ruling striking down provisions of the law on racial discrimination grounds would threaten centuries of law that treat Native American tribes as distinct entities. Both sides appealed to the Supreme Court after the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. The Supreme Court has been closely divided in two major recent cases on Native American issues.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson on Monday wrote her first opinion since taking office over the summer, objecting to the Supreme Court’s decision not side with an Ohio death row inmate’s claim. Chinn's lawyers argued that prosecutors had withheld evidence that a key witness, Marvin Washington, was severely mentally disabled, with an IQ of 48. Jackson wrote in an opinion dissenting from the court’s decision to reject Chinn’s claim that there was “no dispute” that the state had suppressed evidence that would have undermined Washington’s credibility as a witness. Under a 1963 Supreme Court ruling called Brady v. Maryland, such conduct can constitute a due process violation. Jackson, the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court, was appointed by President Joe Biden to replace fellow liberal Justice Stephen Breyer, who retired over the summer.

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Monday declined over the objection of two justices to decide whether defendants facing serious criminal charges are legally entitled to a 12-person jury, rejecting an appeal from an Arizona man convicted of fraud by a jury of just eight people. The decision not to take up the appeal brought by defendant Ramin Khorrami means states can continue to use of six- or eight-person juries for felony offenses. Florida, the third most populous state, uses six-person juries for all non-death penalty-eligible criminal cases. A 12-person jury is a common feature in dramatic depictions of criminal trials, such as the 1957 classic film "12 Angry Men." In February of this year, the Arizona Supreme Court declined to hear Khorrami’s case.

WASHINGTON — Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett on Friday rejected a second challenge to President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan, keeping the court out of the fight over the program that’s raging in the lower courts. The decision has little practical effect, as an appeals court ruling had already put implementation of the policy on hold. Garrison works for the Pacific Legal Foundation while Johnson works for another conservative group, the Public Interest Legal Foundation. The challengers argue they will be worse off because of the cancellation of student debt. Biden’s student debt relief program would provide up to $10,000 in debt cancellation for those earning less than $125,000 a year and couples who file taxes jointly and earn less than $250,000 annually.

Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the Navajo Nation in February, saying it could sue the government for an alleged failure to carry out its duties on behalf of the tribe. The Navajo Nation can access water from other sources, including the San Juan River, a tributary of the Colorado River, but the tribe says that is not enough. Many tribal members do not have access to running water and rely on wells and other localized water sources. In separate litigation the tribe has fought for access to the Little Colorado River, another tributary of the Colorado River. “Nothing in the supposed sources the court of appeals cited imposes any specific and affirmative duties on the federal government on behalf of the Navajo Nation with respect to the water of the Colorado River,” Prelogar wrote.

☆ Goran Gogic: Former heavyweight boxer charged with trafficking over $1 billion worth of cocaine
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Matt Foster | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Former heavyweight boxer Goran Gogic was charged with the maritime trafficking of over $1 billion worth of cocaine through US ports, the US Department of Justice said on Monday. The 43-year-old Montenegrin was arrested on Sunday night as he tried to board an international flight from Miami, the DOJ said in a news release. Gogic has been charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act and three counts of violating the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act, according to court documents. The DOJ says US law enforcement officers seized three shipments of cocaine. It was “one of the largest seizures of cocaine in United States history” and worth over $1 billion, the DOJ said.

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a request from Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., to quash a grand jury subpoena in a Georgia prosecutor’s probe into alleged interference in the 2020 presidential election. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Graham’s attempt to avoid answering questions about phone calls he made to Georgia election officials after the 2020 election. The unsigned Supreme Court order said that the lower court already ruled that Graham cannot be questioned on his legislative activities. The order also said Graham is free to litigate further over which issues are off-limitsWillis is investigating a pair of post-election phone calls Graham made to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and his staff. On Oct. 24, conservative Justice Clarence Thomas, who handles emergency applications that arise from Georgie, temporarily blocked the grand jury subpoena from being enforced while the court determined its next steps.

☆ Chief Justice Roberts temporarily blocks release of Trump's tax records to House Democrats
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Lawrencehurley_Pic.Jpg | Lawrence Hurley | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Chief Justice John Roberts on Tuesday temporarily blocked a congressional committee from accessing former President Donald Trump’s tax records. Tax returns are confidential under federal law, but there are some exceptions, one of which allows the chairman of the committee to request them. The legal battle began in April 2019, when Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., the chairman of the committee, asked for Trump’s returns and those of related business entities. Democrats have been calling for Trump to release his tax returns ever since the 2016 presidential campaign. While no law requires presidential candidates to release their tax returns, it has become the norm for both Democrats and Republicans to do so.

☆ Former heavyweight boxer charged with trafficking 22 tons of cocaine worth $1B through U.S. ports
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

A former heavyweight boxer from Montenegro was charged by the U.S. Department of Justice on Monday with trafficking in 22 tons of cocaine worth over $1 billion, most of which was part of one of the largest cocaine seizures in American history. The complex operation required knowledge of each ship’s crew, route and location data, and that there was room to store drugs in shipping containers that were already aboard, prosecutors said. According to court papers, Gogic oversaw the logistics, coordinating with crew members, Colombian traffickers and European dockworkers to benefit himself and his Balkan-based cartels. He maintains his innocence, and had come to the U.S. for a boxing convention in Puerto Rico.”At least eight Gayane crew members have pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges. According to online records, Gogic was a boxer from 2001 to 2012, winning 21 bouts and losing four with two draws.

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