Judicial independence under threat: Slaughter ruling, shadow docket, plummeting trust, and new appeals court pushback; counterpoint emerges; opinion piece calls for congressional action; Trump fires EAC commissioners using Slaughter; USPS mail ballot rule challenged; Barrett defense published; Proud Boys case dismissed on clemency; legislative fix proposed; Times analysis on midterm stakes; nuanced Slaughter regulatory analysis published; 11th Circuit Stop WOKE Act ruling deepens First Amendment protections; conservatives push constitutional amendment to lock in nine justices; new lawsuits challenge Trump ICC sanctions
Key Questions
What was the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Slaughter case?
The Court overturned Humphrey’s Executor, expanding presidential removal power over independent agency heads.
How is the Slaughter decision being used by the Trump administration?
Trump has cited the ruling to remove commissioners at the Election Assistance Commission and other independent agencies.
What do surveys indicate about public and expert views on the Supreme Court?
A survey found 94% of legal experts view Trump as a threat to judicial independence, while public trust in the Court stands at 30%.
What new legislation has been proposed in response to the Slaughter decision?
An opinion piece advocates the CLARITY Act to impose quorum requirements on independent agencies.
How did the 11th Circuit rule on Florida’s Stop WOKE Act?
The court struck down key provisions, deepening First Amendment protections for professors and colleges.
What action was taken in the Proud Boys case after Trump’s clemency?
A federal judge dismissed the remaining seditious conspiracy charges following the broad clemency grants.
What testimony did Justices Kagan and Barrett provide to Congress?
The justices testified on the Supreme Court’s budget and defended the independence of the judiciary.
What constitutional change are some conservatives proposing for the Supreme Court?
Conservatives are urging Congress to pass a constitutional amendment permanently fixing the Court at nine justices.
SCOTUS ruled in Slaughter (firing power) overturning Humphrey's Executor. Trump uses Slaughter to fire EAC commissioners. Survey: 94% of legal experts view Trump as threat; 30% trust SCOTUS. Shadow docket orders outnumber merits 63-56. Kagan and Barrett testify before Congress. New poll: 50% disapproval. Cato Institute piece against court-packing. District court blocks Trump anti-DEI grant conditions. Proposed USPS mail ballot rule faces legal challenges. Practical analysis confirms Slaughter's broad impact on NLRB/EEOC. New: Federal judge dismisses remaining Proud Boys seditious conspiracy case after Trump's broad clemency. New: Opinion piece proposes CLARITY Act to impose quorum requirements on independent agencies. New: Times analysis frames midterms as referendum on SCOTUS balance. New: Law firm analysis of Slaughter provides agency-by-agency breakdown. New: Former OIRA administrator offers nuanced take on Slaughter. New: 11th Circuit strikes Florida Stop WOKE Act (Trump appointee Judge Grant). New: Conservatives urge Congress to pass constitutional amendment keeping Supreme Court at nine justices. New: Kagan and Barrett testified before Congress on SCOTUS budget. New: Advocacy groups file two lawsuits challenging Trump's ICC sanctions on First Amendment grounds.