SCOTUS Watch: Orders

Tom Goldstein of SCOTUSBlog (again) wants SCOTUS to provide a substantive rejection of the abusive electoral litigation that gets to the point that serious claims have been made the lawyers involved should at least be sanctioned. It also is part of a wider whole that rejects the sanctity of the presidential election, leading ultimately to an invasion of the U.S. Capitol. Reports are that more protests and possible further threats are possible, up to the date of the inauguration.

SCOTUS has not done this. They did provide (as I noted earlier) a quick rejection of a request to hold in abeyance somehow Pence's acceptance of the electoral count. This was done on the next day (1/7) via the usual "denied" type order. Other electoral litigation requests was rejected as part of the Monday orders in similar fashion. A quick response in a Big V religious liberty (alleged) dispute was also slipped in there. Thomas also agreed with a rejection of a clinic buffer zone case for procedural reasons, but aimed to address the situation as soon as possible. And, given recent case law and personnel, he might get his wish. A big abortion case continues to be pending.

As we have a few oral arguments this week, filling in later slots was handled on Friday. The Court waited to around early evening to do so, but granted fourteen cases. Nothing that hot button, but do have a pair of notable First Amendment cases, one involving the reach of the school over off campus speech and one on disclosure rules. We also seem to have our first Big V case getting full court treatment as compared to shadow docket treatment.

We will see how the federal executions scheduled this week will go. Also, how the pending second impeachment will go. I'm sure Chief Justice Roberts might be interested.