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14A Fundamental Rights: Supreme Court upholds Indiana law requiring burial or cremation of human remains from abortions (victory for personhood movement)
https://www.lifenews.com/2019/05/28/supreme-court-upholds-pro-life-law-requiring-proper-burial-or-cremation-for-babies-killed-in-abortions/ 14A Fundamental Rights: Supreme Court not ready to take on issue of selective abortion on basis of race, gender, disability, etc., but Justice Thomas says Court must confront abortion being used as tool of ‘eugenic manipulation’ https://www.theepochtimes.com/justice-thomas-supreme-court-needs-to-confront-abortion-being-used-as-a-tool-of-eugenic-manipulation_2940874.html 14A: fundamental rights: federal judge blocks implementation of Mississippi’s heartbeat abortion law which was supposed to take effect July 1st. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/05/24/heartbeat-abortion-federal-judge-blocks-mississippis-law/1227710001/ 14A,1A: 20 states, others sue to block Trump rule bolstering conscience protections for healthcare providers refusing to participate in abortions, other procedures https://www.lifenews.com/2019/05/22/20-states-sue-to-overturn-president-trumps-pro-life-rule-force-doctors-to-do-abortions/ + https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2019/05/28/violation-privacy-liberty-dignity-civil-rights-groups-sue-hhs-over-religious-exemption-rule/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.46f3ad95214f 1A Press: stay for political bias lifted, criminal prosecution to proceed against baby parts videographer who exposed Planned Parenthood https://www.dailywire.com/news/47471/journalists-charged-15-felonies-undercover-videos-amanda-prestigiacomo 1A Press: U.S. charges WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange with publishing classified information - first time a publisher has been indicted for printing accurate material. https://www.apnews.com/89547adf8a8846c3991a4e6c57ce50ef Discrimination: Supreme Court lets stand Pennsylvania school district’s transgender bathroom policy, turning away bodily privacy arguments http://www.adfmedia.org/News/PRDetail/10239 Discrimination: Proposed HHS rule would remove Obamacare protections for transgenders https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/trump-hhs-moves-to-roll-back-obamacare-protections-for-transgender-patients Separation of Powers - federal judge blocks President Trump’s plans to use reallocated Defense Department funds to build the border wall. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/judge-temporarily-blocks-trumps-border-wall-construction-plans Executive Privilege: here’s a rundown of the Trump v. House Democrats subpoena wars https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-congress-investigations-fac/factbox-courts-poke-holes-in-trumps-stonewall-of-congress-idUSKCN1SY0YC Electoral College: Nevada legislature passes National Popular Vote compact; Governor has not indicated his position https://www.avpress.com/opinion/nevada-may-adopt-electoral-vote-change/article_e9590454-81a7-11e9-91d8-572e2a78a3b6.html 1A: free speech rights upheld for anti-Semitic speakers at UMass https://www.gazettenet.com/Guest-column-Sam-Shaffery-25269448?utm_source=DHGHeadlineAlerts 1A: Missouri city ordinance used to block ‘Black Lives Matter’ sign in front yard likely violates First Amendment https://reason.com/2019/05/24/short-circuit-a-roundup-of-recent-federal-court-decisions-5/ 1A: Savannah tour guide licensing law offends First Amendment; 100-question test amounts to government deciding who gets to speak https://reason.com/2019/05/24/short-circuit-a-roundup-of-recent-federal-court-decisions-5/ 1A: campaign finance law limit on contributions applies to bequests, D.C. Circuit rules; corrupt bargains still possible https://reason.com/2019/05/24/short-circuit-a-roundup-of-recent-federal-court-decisions-5/ 1A Religion: Ohio city won’t compel Catholic school to operate contrary to its religious beliefs in employment, admissions, and other policies http://www.adfmedia.org/News/PRDetail/10742 Electoral College: state may fine ‘faithless’ presidential electors who go against voters’ wishes https://reason.com/2019/05/23/state-may-punish-faithless-electors-wash-sup-ct-rules/ “I Didn’t Earn Slavery Reparations, and I Don’t Want Them” - slave ancestor lived the American dream https://www.wsj.com/articles/i-didnt-earn-slavery-reparations-and-i-dont-want-them-11558732429 Kudos to Santa Barbara City College instructor who recited the Pledge of Allegiance at board of trustees meeting over jeers of faculty, staff, and students https://www.dailysignal.com/2019/05/24/my-fight-for-1-college-to-say-the-pledge-of-allegiance/?utm_source=TDS_Email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MorningBell&mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiTVdOaU1qazVNR0l6TnpKbSIsInQiOiI5QTBSNmpxSjhNRnN5QVRtbWhxa3pNcUZXNUJwNEp3OGo0MlwvY1wvSGRmWWNuamtnUlVKVVRZU0Rlb0xqWjVDK0JPbTBCSjZydXYrQVlBdk9vK2ZzNzZpZEk0MXN3VzkyWEZPOXFlanRTbVZERndNOVE3WUpkaFFvK1lnQmFZRUJDIn0%3D 10A: Texas asserts sovereignty against Congress, refuses to comply with investigative demands
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/may/16/texas-asserts-sovereign-immunity-against-congress/ 1A Religion: Christian student, forced to recite the Islamic conversion creed, petitions Supreme Court to hear her case https://pjmedia.com/faith/christian-student-forced-to-write-islamic-conversion-creed-appeals-case-to-supreme-court/?fbclid=IwAR3nQr9S4uca1tjYobs36aKCl_rQGTjcg3QdYj9FUantdHoG6kZ0ziu-0EM + https://www.wnd.com/2019/05/u-s-school-fails-student-for-refusing-to-recite-islamic-prayer/#7IzTb1X1li4HBk4L.99 1A: “White House Won't Sign Global Pact To 'Combat Extremism' Due To 1st Amendment Concerns” https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-05-15/white-house-wont-sign-global-pact-combat-extremism-due-1st-amendment-concerns 8A Cruel and Unusual: 9th Circuit hears case from Idaho transgender inmate demanding sex reassignment surgery https://www.npr.org/2019/05/16/723583909/court-to-rule-on-sex-reassignment-surgery-for-idaho-inmate 14A Fundamental Rights: federal judge wants to hear more evidence, vacates his own decision striking down Virginia law preventing nurses from performing abortions as undue burden on constitutional right https://www.lifenews.com/2019/05/15/judge-reverses-his-own-decision-striking-down-virginia-ban-on-nurses-doing-abortions/ “AG Barr blasts federal judges who impose nationwide injunctions” https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/ag-barr-blasts-federal-judges-who-impose-nationwide-injunctions 1A: courts split on whether state anti-BDS laws violate the First Amendment https://www.wsj.com/articles/state-efforts-to-quell-israel-boycott-movement-raise-free-speech-objections-11557943165?mod=hp_listb_pos1 1A: residential sign ordinance unconstitutionally overbroad; effectively outlawed Welcome Home banners, Happy Birthday balloons, security stickers, and Christmas lights https://reason.com/2019/05/21/restriction-on-signs-on-residential-property-violates-first-amendment/ Free Expression: Ontario anti-hate bill could outlaw all public demonstrations by Christians (deemed offensive by Islamists, LGBT, etc.) https://bigleaguepolitics.com/canada-moves-to-ban-christians-from-demonstrating-in-public-under-new-anti-hate-proposal/ Free Expression: Giving primacy to diversity has hurt free expression - safe spaces, speech codes, censorship of ideas, etc. https://www.lawliberty.org/2019/05/15/how-the-diversity-mission-has-limited-free-expression-on-campus/ 1A Press: raid on San Fran freelancer’s home looking for name of source raises questions under California journalist shield law https://reason.com/2019/05/15/police-raid-on-journalists-home-has-grave-first-amendment-implications/ 2A: California bill would expand red flag law to allow co-workers, employers, and faculty to request court to take guns away https://pjmedia.com/trending/ca-dems-legalizing-soviet-style-reporting-of-legal-gun-owning-co-workers/ “New York Wants To Force All Gun Owners To Buy A Million Dollar Liability Policy” https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-05-09/new-york-wants-force-all-gun-owners-buy-million-dollar-liability-policy Double Jeopardy: bill to allow state charges against someone receiving a presidential pardon advances in New York https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2019/05/21/New-York-Assembly-passes-bill-closing-double-jeopardy-loophole/9901558485944/?mph=4 5A Takings: is airport terminal worth the $17 million it cost to build it or $0 because it had yet to turn a profit? https://fedsoc.org/events/government-takings-litigation-update-through-the-lens-of-love-terminal 5A Takings: pipeline companies taking land under court orders but not paying owners for years; Supreme Court asked to hear case on ‘take first and pay later’ condemnations }https://www.forbes.com/sites/instituteforjustice/2019/05/13/the-supreme-court-should-end-pipeline-companies-build-first-pay-later-use-of-eminent-domain/#46d1ca7e6cc9 Economic Freedom: Florida bill aims to reduce crime by reducing occupational licensing requirements which make it harder for ex-cons to find work https://ij.org/press-release/florida-legislature-passes-fresh-start-amendment-to-clear-the-path-to-jobs-for-individuals-with-criminal-records/ 19A: it’s the 100th anniversary of the House passage of women’s right to vote https://www.heritage.org/press/heritage-president-celebrates-the-centennial-the-19th-amendments-passage-the-house 14A: Plessy ‘separate but equal’ decision one of Supreme Court’s worst ever https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/plessys-place-in-the-list-of-worst-supreme-court-decisions Kudos! Boy from Navy family arranges discount at Lowe’s so more of his neighbors can fly American flag https://wtkr.com/2019/05/13/chesapeake-boy-takes-action-to-spread-patriotism/ Shame! Co-captain of United States Women’s national soccer team stomps her little foot, says she’ll probably never sing the National Anthem again because this President makes her so mad https://www.dailywire.com/news/47169/us-womens-soccer-co-captain-ill-probably-never-hank-berrien Alabama’s Governor signed into law a bill to ban most abortions in the state. The law is intended as a direct challenge to the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision extending the fundamental right to privacy under the 14th Amendment Due Process clause to include a right to abortion. Alabama’s law does not take effect for 6 months but, already, at least one Alabama doctor has vowed to keep performing abortions when the law goes into effect.
Alabama joins other states that have recently passed restrictions on abortion. Heartbeat bills were passed in Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Ohio. In addition, Missouri’s Governor is expected to sign a heartbeat bill passed by the legislature this past week. Meanwhile, observers reading the tea leaves in a different kind of case this past week said liberal Justice Breyer was sounding the alarm about the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade. The case had to do with where states can be sued but the opinion overruled a 40-year-old precedent in the process. Breyer’s dissent concluded: “Today’s decision can only cause one to wonder which cases the Court will overrule next.” Overturning precedent is rare because of the judicial doctrine of ‘stare decisis’ which, in Latin, means ‘to stand by things decided’. Will the Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade and uphold Alabama’s abortion ban? The appointments of Justices Kavanaugh and Gorsuch give pro-lifers hope. But it’s dangerous to make predictions, especially about the future. There were five votes on the Supreme Court to overturn Roe in 1992, but it didn’t happen. Instead, Justice Kennedy switched his vote and the Casey case has been used numerous times since to knock down state restrictions as ‘undue burdens’ on the right to abortion. Some say Chief Justice John Roberts is in the role of swing justice today and point out that he has never voted to strike down a state abortion restriction. So it’s anybody’s guess what will happen if the issue does head back to the Supreme Court. The Court could uphold Roe, knock it down - sending the entire issue back to the states - or modify it as it did in the Casey case. That we are still fighting about abortion 40 years after Roe became the law of the land is testimony to the passion and endless inventiveness of pro-life activists who have been holding annual marches, praying outside of Planned Parenthood clinics, and producing a veritable blizzard of state and federal legislation - pain capable bills, dismemberment bills, heartbeat bills, and 44 attempts in the U.S. House at last count to stop infanticide. Other activists on the right would do well to study their methods and bring them to bear on other policy issues. Perhaps most importantly, pro-lifers did not quit in the face of long odds. They kept fighting. They’re an inspiration to anyone fighting the Left on other issues. 14A Fundamental Rights: legislation banning most abortions in Alabama awaits Governor’s signature; measure is meant as a direct challenge to the Supreme Court’s Roe versus Wade decision.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7029921/Alabama-Senate-debates-bill-banning-nearly-abortions.html 11A: Supreme Court overturns precedent, bars suits against states in the courts of other states; implications for overturning Roe v. Wade https://www.theepochtimes.com/supreme-court-decides-states-may-not-be-sued-in-other-states-courts_2923931.html 1A: Texas town stands up against Freedom From Religion Foundation bullies, keeps crosses on courthouse https://www.theepochtimes.com/texas-town-defies-groups-call-to-remove-courthouse-crosses_2923820.html 1A: First Amendment protects ‘I eat a**’ bumper sticker, prof argues https://reason.com/2019/05/08/yes-the-first-amendment-protects-i-eat-ass-bumper-stickers/ Free Expression: Canadian father subject to arrest if he uses ‘wrong’ gender pronoun in describing his trans child https://thefederalist.com/2019/04/29/authorities-arrest-canadian-father-refers-trans-child-real-sex/ Free Expression: candidate for judgeship loses nomination, gets fired from his law firm for being a conservative https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2019/05/crushed_by_the_leftist_juggernaut_one_lawyers_story.html 2A: Arizona legalizes nunchucks https://www.npr.org/2019/05/12/722632580/in-arizona-its-no-longer-a-felony-to-own-nunchucks 5A Eminent Domain: Baltimore is failing because it does not respect property rights. Seize the Preakness - really? https://www.lawliberty.org/2019/05/14/property-rights-matter-lessons-from-a-failing-city/ 5A,4A: allowing union organizers on agricultural land is not a Fifth Amendment ‘taking’ or a Fourth Amendment ‘seizure’ (9th Circuit) http://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2019/05/08/16-16321.pdf 8A: “death row inmates’ long-term detention in conditions amounting to solitary confinement created a ‘substantial risk’ of psychological and emotional harm” (4th Circuit) http://www.ca4.uscourts.gov/opinions/186257.P.pdf 8A: Florida man sues gangster-city over $30,000 in fines for not mowing the lawn https://ij.org/press-release/florida-man-could-lose-his-home-for-having-long-grass/ Discrimination: Miami’s lawsuit against banks for predatory lending to black and Latino homebuyers may proceed; city plausibly alleges disproportionate defaults and hit to tax base from banks’ practices (11th Circuit) http://media.ca11.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/files/201414544.rem.pdf 14A Due Process: dismissing administrative appeal after litigant relied on the agency’s guidance for proper procedure is a denial of due process (Texas Supreme Court) https://www.txcourts.gov/media/1444021/170345.pdf Former Virginia lawmaker Bob Marshall pens book on how to reclaim the Republic https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/constitution/item/32241-reclaiming-the-republic-robert-g-marshal No, the trivial garbage the House Dems keep bringing up is not a ‘constitutional crisis’ https://reason.com/2019/05/09/wishing-for-a-constitutional-crisis/ 500 Scholars and Writers Sign Statement Promoting Campus Free Speech (Constitution news round-up)5/8/2019
1A: Scholars, writers issue statement promoting campus free speech (you can still sign; more than 500 have)
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/scholars-writers-launch-battle-for-campus-free-speech + https://www.nas.org/articles/free_to_speak_reforming_the_higher_education_act?mid=39948&id=T15OuHulZKxtwhqSTA 1A: San Francisco sues to force doctors to perform abortions and other procedures against their conscience https://www.lifenews.com/2019/05/03/san-francisco-sues-to-overturn-new-trump-rules-and-force-doctors-and-nurses-to-do-abortions/ 1A Religion: injection of Buddhist-inspired ‘mindfulness’ practices into schools is an unconstitutional establishment of religion, conservative group argues https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2019/05/07/Conservative-legal-group-challenges-mindfulness-in-schools/1281557252128/?ts_fn=1 2A: U.S. pulls out of Obama-era UN arms treaty https://www.dailysignal.com/2019/04/26/trump-scraps-obama-era-u-n-arms-treaty-opposed-by-2nd-amendment-backers/?utm_source=TDS_Email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CapitolBell%22&mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiTTJJMU9EUTFaV1ppTmpndyIsInQiOiIzZ1RBNmM4U1BET2VJcUhhNnd0bE96K2pjT2JDOEE3WXdDaEtOOHJyWFBnc1wvRGcrYURGVE1GN3cxSFRDQkpoSEhwSWN4SnRoVHhMVnlaOTg5MDBOZFc0dDVqUXRCSDY3YmRwVEZZRWErcHhBXC9GMzlEWWJzQitYblwvdFp0K3d5TSJ9 2A: “Pennsylvania GOP Rep. Moves to Impeach ‘Rogue’ Pittsburgh Mayor Over Gun Control Measures” https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/05/pennsylvania-gop-rep-moves-to-impeach-rogue-pittsburgh-mayor-over-gun-control-measures-that-violate-the-constitution/ 8A: federal appeals court rules prison must give inmate addiction treatment https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/05/04/719805278/setting-precedent-a-federal-court-rules-jail-must-give-inmate-addiction-treatmen 4A: Supreme Court is asked to take case of 4-year-old girl who was strip-searched; case could be occasion to refine tangled ‘qualified immunity’ doctrine https://www.law.com/nationallawjournal/2019/05/06/strip-search-case-could-reshape-supreme-courts-immunity-doctrine/?slreturn=20190408114312 5A Vagueness: Supreme Court decision from last term hampering federal prosecutions of young terror suspects https://www.apnews.com/69a0da9349364db094066f83b4517d8b 14A Fundamental Rights: federal judge strikes down Virginia law preventing nurses from performing abortions as undue burden on constitutional right https://www.lifenews.com/2019/05/07/federal-court-strikes-down-virginia-law-prohibiting-nurses-from-aborting-babies/ 1A: Immigration rights activist successfully argues unconstitutional retaliation for protected speech when ICE tries to deport him. https://ij.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/18-1597_complete_opn.pdf 1A: students have a constitutional right to call for their principal to be fired https://reason.com/2019/05/01/first-amendment-protects-nondisruptive-student-speech-calling-for-principal-to-be-fired/ 1A: podcast considers whether what Assange did was protected journalism or cyber-crime https://constitutioncenter.org/debate/podcasts/the-julian-assange-indictment-and-the-first-amendment 1A: House of Representatives can insist its daily prayer be religious in nature, not atheist https://www.cadc.uscourts.gov/internet/opinions.nsf/0/6DF98786C32D5A24852583E1004D436F/$file/17-5278.pdf 2A: website not liable for allowing searches for private-seller gun ads https://reason.com/2019/05/01/armslist-not-liable-for-allowing-searches-for-private-seller-gun-ads/ 4A: chalking tires for parking enforcement is a ‘search’ but may be allowable under various exceptions to warrant requirement https://reason.com/2019/04/23/chalking-tires-and-the-fourth-amendment/ 6A: right to a public trial is not absolute; courtroom can be cleared of the public to accommodate Muslim witness who refused to take off veil otherwise https://reason.com/2019/04/18/can-veil-wearing-witnesses-religious-freedom-rights-trump-public-trial-clause-first-amendment-rights/ 14A: Circuit split on whether ban on toplessness for women violates Equal Protection https://reason.com/2019/05/06/ban-on-toplessness-for-women-doesnt-violate-the-equal-protection-clause/ State Constitution: “Kansas Supreme Court Rules State Constitution Protects Right To Abortion” https://www.npr.org/2019/04/26/717449336/kansas-supreme-court-rules-state-constitution-protects-right-to-abortion Article argues Congress is the supreme branch of government, as it should be in a Republic of self-governing people https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/01/congress-supreme-branch-of-government-not-coequal/?fbclid=IwAR14cDp3c-ag3S60roaYXx7Xct-6xj3KVTmDqxFNFl4gUIGsh4iWyvU15Xg There was no Constitution Minute last week because I was at a conservative conference in Michigan. While we were inside listening to the speakers, tires were slashed outside in the parking lot, cars with Trump bumper stickers being singled out. I came back from Michigan to news that Facebook banned Laura Loomer, Milo Yiannopoulos, Paul Joseph Watson, and other non-Left voices.
This is getting serious. While we are in a golden age of free speech in the courts with the Supreme Court issuing strong opinions like Citizens United and Janus, free expression in society overall is under attack like I’ve never seen before. The attacks are coming from several directions. In January, I told you about threats to free speech on college campuses; from the transgender pronoun police; from attempts to take banking services away from the NRA; from Google, YouTube, and other tech giants; and from Europe and the United Nations. [Constitution Minute, 1/27/19] In April, I told you about Germany ratcheting up enforcement against so-called ‘hate speech’ online and new hate speech initiatives from the Attorneys General of Michigan and Minnesota that move in the same direction. [Constitution Minute, 4/14/19] The Michigan initiative includes a hate speech database to be maintained by the state civil rights agency that will collect remarks from individuals and groups for later use. This is a direct threat to free speech because hate speech, whether you like it or not, is protected under the First Amendment. Just think of the chilling effect on free expression in Michigan because now you have to worry about whether state bureaucrats will decide what you say is offensive and put you in their database. The Michigan Attorney General’s office testified before a state legislative committee that they would not access the database in criminal hate crimes cases. But sharp legislators pointed out that enhanced hate crime penalties are a matter of proving intent and the database of prior remarks would most surely be mined for evidence of intent in criminal cases. The database will affect hate crimes cases from the charging decision all the way through to sentencing, the legislators pointed out. The fact that the Attorney General’s office would be so coy about this does not inspire confidence, especially when you consider the Attorney General herself led off her testimony with the correct but misleading statement her office did not have such a database. This was misleading because the database is at the civil rights agency, which she knows darn well. She also tried to square the circle that hate crime penalties do not punish people for what they think. Sure, and I’m the tooth fairy. We have free speech under attack like never before and it’s metastasizing into governmental actions like the Michigan hate speech database. It’s become clear to me we’ve turned a corner in this country and our right to free expression is now in jeopardy. Therefore, I have decided to undertake a new project to push back on threats to free speech from the authoritarian Left, the Islamists, state bureaucrats with tunnel vision, and anyone else who would take away our First Amendment rights. I will be using my Champions of the Constitution Grassroots Network to push back. We’re in 11 states and have been pushing back on attacks on the Constitution for the last year and a half. You are welcome to join. It doesn’t take a lot of time and will not pull you away from your other activist projects. I will also be collaborating with like-minded folks, for example, activists in Michigan who are trying to get their state civil rights agency brought before the same legislative committee to testify about their database. I see that others are coming to similar conclusions, that it’s time to do something. Jenny Beth Martin of Tea Party Patriots joined more than 400 scholars, writers, and group leaders in signing a joint statement in April calling for more protection for free speech on college campuses. I applaud this and every other effort to protect free expression in this country. We live in a time when non-Left voices are being pushed to the margins. It’s not too hard to imagine a future where the authoritarian Left attempts to seize control of the Internet and talk radio to squelch non-Left voices entirely. At that point, they will not be content with slashing tires but will progress to slashing jugular veins. If you doubt me, read the blood-soaked history of the Left and you’ll see what I’m talking about. The time to act is now. |
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