Author: Matthew Vadum

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Student challenging ban on males in female sports cannot withdraw case: Supreme Court

Matthew Vadum

The U.S. Supreme Court on Oct. 20 declined a male college student’s request to withdraw his challenge to Idaho’s ban on male athletes competing on school sports teams intended for females. The court’s new ruling in Little v. Hecox came without comment in an unsigned order. No justices dissented. Previously, on July 3, the Supreme Court granted Idaho’s petition but has not yet scheduled an oral argument in the case. Respondent Lindsay Hecox had sued Idaho, alleging that Idaho’s Fairness in Women’s Sports Act violates the U.S. Constitution’s equal protection clause and Title IX, a federal civil rights law that … Continue reading Student challenging ban on males in female sports cannot withdraw case: Supreme Court

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Supreme Court to consider whether illegal drug users may possess firearms

Matthew Vadum

The Supreme Court on Oct. 20 agreed to consider whether a federal law barring illegal drug users from possessing firearms is constitutional. Hunter Biden was convicted under the same law in June 2024, but his father, then-President Joe Biden, pardoned him in December 2024. The justices granted the petition in United States v. Hemani without comment in an unsigned order. No justices dissented. The respondent, Ali Danial Hemani, is a dual citizen of the United States and Pakistan, according to the government’s petition. The petition describes Hemani as “a drug dealer who uses illegal drugs.” The FBI obtained a search … Continue reading Supreme Court to consider whether illegal drug users may possess firearms

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Florida sues California, Washington State, for allegedly ignoring federal commercial driving rules

Matthew Vadum

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said his state is suing California and Washington state over their policy of allegedly ignoring federal rules regarding the issuance of commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs). The new lawsuit comes weeks after the federal government unveiled stricter … Continue reading Florida sues California, Washington State, for allegedly ignoring federal commercial driving rules

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Federal judge extends order blocking Trump’s National Guard deployment in Oregon

Matthew Vadum

A federal judge on Oct. 15 extended her order preventing President Donald Trump from deploying members of the Oregon National Guard to protect Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities in Portland. Responding to a lawsuit filed by Oregon, Judge Karin … Continue reading Federal judge extends order blocking Trump’s National Guard deployment in Oregon

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Supreme Court won’t hear Project Veritas challenge to state law blocking secret recording

Matthew Vadum

The Supreme Court has decided against hearing an investigative journalism organization’s First Amendment-based challenge to a decades-old Oregon law prohibiting most secret recordings of oral conversations. Undercover journalism group Project Veritas had argued that the state’s conversational privacy statute violated the First Amendment. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled 9–2 in January that the law did not violate the group’s free speech rights. The Supreme Court dismissed the petition in Project Veritas v. Vasquez without comment in an unsigned order on Oct. 6. No justices dissented. The respondents were sued in their official capacities. One is Nathan … Continue reading Supreme Court won’t hear Project Veritas challenge to state law blocking secret recording

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Federal appeals court seems sympathetic to Trump’s bid for National Guard deployment in Oregon

Matthew Vadum

A federal appeals court on Oct. 9 seemed sympathetic to President Donald Trump’s bid to deploy National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon, to deal with violence directed at federal immigration facilities, while hearing arguments in a case brought against the … Continue reading Federal appeals court seems sympathetic to Trump’s bid for National Guard deployment in Oregon

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Supreme Court reinstates ruling ordering retrial of death row prisoner

Matthew Vadum

The Supreme Court on Oct. 8 lifted its temporary stay of a federal appeals court ruling requiring that Alabama death row inmate Michael Sockwell be retried for murder. In an unsigned order, the high court lifted an administrative stay of a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit that Justice Clarence Thomas granted on Sept. 26. Thomas, who oversees emergency appeals from Alabama, did not explain at the time why he granted the administrative stay, which gave the justices more time to consider the emergency appeal. The new order specifies that the denial of the state’s … Continue reading Supreme Court reinstates ruling ordering retrial of death row prisoner