Brief #174 – Civil Rights
By Rodney A. Maggay
On September 1, 2021 the United States Supreme Court issued its order in the case Whole Woman’s Health v. Jackson. The case began on July 13, 2021 when a lawsuit was filed in the Federal District Court for the Western District of Texas. The case was brought on behalf of a number of abortion providers in the State of Texas. The plaintiffs were seeking to prevent enforcement of Texas Senate Bill 8 (SB 8) before it took effect on September 1, 2021.
Brief #173 – Federal Court in Florida Bans Enforcement of Florida’s Anti – Riot Law
By Rodney A. Maggay
On September 9, 2021 Chief United States District Judge Mark E. Walker of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida issued a preliminary injunction order in the case Dream Defenders v. DeSantis. The NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund of Florida, Inc., the ACLU of Florida and Community Justice Project brought a lawsuit on behalf of Dream Defenders and other Black – led organizations.
Brief #172 – Civil Rights
By Rodney A. Maggay
On August 24, 2021 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposed a $5,134,500 fine against John M. Burkman, Jacob A. Wohl and J.M. Burkman and Associates, LLC. Mr. Burkman and Mr. Wohl are political consultants based in Virginia. And J.M. Burkman and Associates, LLC is a political lobbying firm registered in Virginia.
Brief #171 – Civil Rights
By Rodney A. Maggay
On July 31, 2021 David Brody and Sara Collins of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law sent a letter to the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on behalf of their group and twenty-three other national advocacy organizations. This collection of organizations is calling on the FTC to address online discrimination, exploitation of personal data and abusive practices.
Brief #170 – Civil Rights
By Rodney A. Maggay
On July 16, 2021 both of New Jersey’s Senators – Bob Menendez and Cory Booker – introduced The Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act of 2021 in the U.S. Senate. Four additional Senators co – sponsored the bill – Dick Durbin (D-IL), Diane Feinstein (D-CA), Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and John Kennedy (R-LA). A companion bill was simultaneously introduced in the House of Representatives by Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ).
Brief # 169 – Civil Rights
By Rodney A. Maggay
In 2016 the Arizona State Legislature passed H.B. 2023 which made it a felony crime to handle or submit a completed ballot on behalf of another person unless the person was a family member, caregiver or election official. Additionally, Arizona has an “out – of – precinct” policy which requires election officials to reject ballots if the voter submits his ballot to the wrong precinct.
Brief # 168 – Civil Rights
By Rodney A. Maggay
On June 21, 2021, Georgia Democratic Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff along with three other Senators introduced the Preventing Election Subversion Act of 2021. Senator Ossoff stated, “This legislation will ensure nonpartisan election officials can carry out free and fair elections without partisan interference and help safeguard the sacred right to vote.”
Brief # 167 – Civil Rights
By Rod Maggay
On June 23, 2021 the United States Supreme Court handed down its decision in Lange v. California. The case examined whether a warrantless entry into a home by a police officer to apprehend a fleeing misdemeanor suspect was permissible under the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Brief # 166 – Civil Rights
By Rod Maggay
On June 17, 2021 the United States Supreme Court handed down its decision in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia. In a unanimous judgment the Court ruled that Philadelphia’s decision to refuse to contract with Catholic Social Services of Philadelphia (CSS) unless CSS agreed to certify same – sex couples as foster parents violates the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Brief # 165 – Civil Rights
By Rodney A. Maggay
On June 22, 2021 the United States Senate held a procedural vote on the floor of the Senate to determine if the For The People Act would be brought to the floor for a debate on the merits of the bill. The For The People Act is the massive 800 page voting rights bill already passed by the House of Representatives that would bring wholesale changes and minimum standards to voting laws in federal elections.
Brief #164 – Civil Rights Policy
By Rodney A. Maggay
On June 7, 2021 the New York Times published an article that illustrated conflicting priorities in the ongoing free speech vs. hate speech debate.
The First Amendment of the United States Constitution provides that “Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech….” On the other hand “hate speech” has no precise definition.
Brief #163—Civil Rights
By Rodney A. Maggay
During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the Populist and Labor Movements in the United States helped usher in reforms, such as referendums and initiatives, that paved the way for direct democracy mechanisms to be implemented in a number of states.