Free speech watchdog says university discriminates against conservatives

The University of Scranton discriminates against conservative students, according to a nonpartisan watchdog group. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), a free-speech advocacy organization based in Philadelphia, says the Pennsylvania school’s student government engaged in viewpoint-based discrimination when … Continue reading Free speech watchdog says university discriminates against conservatives

Supreme Court to hear if Catholic schools may discriminate in hiring

WASHINGTON—The Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments from two Catholic schools in Los Angeles that maintain the religious exemption in the First Amendment shields them from employment discrimination lawsuits brought by two former instructors. The Supreme Court ordered Dec. 18 that the two cases, Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrissey-Berru and St. James School v. Biel, be consolidated and heard together at some point in the new year. Both cases were brought by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, a nonprofit and public interest law firm. “Parents trust Catholic schools to assist them in one of their most important duties: … Continue reading Supreme Court to hear if Catholic schools may discriminate in hiring

Federal judge rules US must pay compensation for Hurricane Harvey intentional flooding

Houston-area victims may sue the federal government because the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flooded their homes and businesses inside the Addicks and Barker reservoirs during Hurricane Harvey in 2017 in the belief that doing so would prevent worse flooding elsewhere, a … Continue reading Federal judge rules US must pay compensation for Hurricane Harvey intentional flooding

Freelance journalists challenge California law that restricts their work

Freelance journalists filed suit this week against California in federal court in hopes of striking down an unusually restrictive and possibly unconstitutional state employment law that outlaws independent contracting with very narrow exceptions. Layoffs blamed on the law, known as … Continue reading Freelance journalists challenge California law that restricts their work

Supreme Court allows lower court’s ruling overturning Boise vagrancy law

WASHINGTON—The Supreme Court turned away a legal appeal on Dec. 16 that aimed to restore Boise, Idaho’s laws banning homeless outdoor camping, which a lower court had struck down as violating the Constitution’s Eighth Amendment ban on cruel and unusual punishment. The ruling, which … Continue reading Supreme Court allows lower court’s ruling overturning Boise vagrancy law

Georgia midwife sues for right to call herself ‘midwife’

A nationally prominent midwife is suing Georgia authorities, claiming they’re engaged in regulatory overreach as they violate her First Amendment rights by punishing her for accurately calling herself a midwife. Debbie Pulley (pictured above), who helped found the Georgia Midwifery Association, … Continue reading Georgia midwife sues for right to call herself ‘midwife’

Democrats election win in Virginia produces gun registration proposal

Virginia Democrats are proposing a mandatory state gun registration measure after widespread public outrage forced them to back off a more aggressive plan to confiscate so-called assault weapons, a designation that gun experts have long rejected as arbitrary. Gun-control advocates … Continue reading Democrats election win in Virginia produces gun registration proposal

Insurance companies tell Supreme Court of government bait and switch

WASHINGTON—The Trump administration told the Supreme Court that the government is not obligated to pay $12 billion to insurance companies that knowingly took a business risk and lost money by participating in the Affordable Care Act’s “risk corridors” program. Republican lawmakers and other critics characterize taxpayer funding to cover the shortfall as a “bailout” and a “slush fund” for the insurance industry. That’s because the program gave the insurers participating in the risk corridors program a special deal that limited their financial exposure for the first three years beginning in 2014. The program was created in hopes of stabilizing health insurance … Continue reading Insurance companies tell Supreme Court of government bait and switch

Supreme Court considers whether deportation of criminal aliens can be reviewed

WASHINGTON—Judicial review of the deportation orders of permanent residents with criminal records who miss statutory deadlines should be limited, the Trump administration told a skeptical Supreme Court. The justices heard oral arguments Dec. 9 in two cases that were consolidated, Ovalles v. Barr and … Continue reading Supreme Court considers whether deportation of criminal aliens can be reviewed