SCOTUS Watch

SCOTUS isn't only dropping mostly ignored (even by SCOTUSBlog, which still annoys me) summer orders. The big news was Justice Stevens dying. Justices also put themselves out there (more than one wasn't around for the funeral given commitments), including another RBG interview. As I noted over there, I'm not as annoyed as this piece, but it has some bite. Calling a partisan ass credibly accused of multiple acts of sexual assault "very decent" in particular is ... crossed the line. Breyer actually supported term limits. RBG sounds like an elite benefiting that doesn't want change. I'm tired of it.

Yesterday, barely ("among the reasons," citing one) explaining themselves, five justices allowed funding and plans of construction of part of a border wall to go on in the face of two lower courts. Breyer would have allowed negotiations but not building. The other libs just opposed the stay without opinion. With justices out of the country and all, wonder how they did this. By conference call? Conservatives selectively don't care about agency overreaching (with property rights implications). The "no standing" approach might not be a full win on the merits, but the results get you the same basic place.

More words for Stevens. In these times, they do help some. He particlarly respected Souter, whose brief words of honor was quite Souter-esque. I hope to hear a bit more from him too. RBG references talking to him about Stevens in her own remarks (formatted for an elderly person with vision problems?). O'Connor is ill but lingering. But, her death won't surprise.