5 hours ago
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr on Friday defended his agency's recent actions against ABC, saying broadcasters have a duty to "operate in the public interest" and the FCC is merely trying to restore that standard.
Broadcasters like ABC, Carr said in an interview on the Fox Business Network, "struck a deal with the American people. You broadcasters get subsidized access, free access to a valuable public resource, the airwaves, worth billions of dollars. In exchange, you have to operate in the public interest."
"Look, as a country, we should have a trusted, respected news media, and we're not there," Carr told anchor Maria Bartiromo. "So I hope more broadcasters return to their public interest obligations."
The remarks came a day after ABC, issuing another salvo in an ever-escalating battle with President Donald Trump's FCC, again accused the agency of a brazen attempt to chill its constitutionally protected free speech — and by extension, that of every media outlet in the country.
ABC accused the agency of retaliating against it simply because it doesn't like the political content of ABC's shows.
#operate #country
Broadcasters like ABC, Carr said in an interview on the Fox Business Network, "struck a deal with the American people. You broadcasters get subsidized access, free access to a valuable public resource, the airwaves, worth billions of dollars. In exchange, you have to operate in the public interest."
"Look, as a country, we should have a trusted, respected news media, and we're not there," Carr told anchor Maria Bartiromo. "So I hope more broadcasters return to their public interest obligations."
The remarks came a day after ABC, issuing another salvo in an ever-escalating battle with President Donald Trump's FCC, again accused the agency of a brazen attempt to chill its constitutionally protected free speech — and by extension, that of every media outlet in the country.
ABC accused the agency of retaliating against it simply because it doesn't like the political content of ABC's shows.
#operate #country
11 hours ago
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Over the past several years, Missouri voters have amended the state constitution to create abortion rights, legalize marijuana and sports betting and expand Medicaid healthcare coverage for low-income adults.
None of those initiatives would have passed under a ballot measure getting decided by voters Tuesday.
Missouri's proposed Amendment 4 would make it significantly harder to amend the constitution by requiring citizen initiatives to pass in all eight of the state's diverse congressional districts instead of by a traditional, simple statewide majority. No other state has such a high standard — or has even asked voters to consider it.
"This is a first-of-its-kind," said Kelly Hall, executive director of the Fairness Project, a national group that backs progressive ballot initiatives like the ones Missouri's Republican lawmakers are hoping to quelch.
"It would be nearly impossible for citizens to participate meaningfully in any sort of direct democracy," said Hall, who believes other states could try to copy Missouri's proposal.
#voters #initiatives #constitution #medicaid
None of those initiatives would have passed under a ballot measure getting decided by voters Tuesday.
Missouri's proposed Amendment 4 would make it significantly harder to amend the constitution by requiring citizen initiatives to pass in all eight of the state's diverse congressional districts instead of by a traditional, simple statewide majority. No other state has such a high standard — or has even asked voters to consider it.
"This is a first-of-its-kind," said Kelly Hall, executive director of the Fairness Project, a national group that backs progressive ballot initiatives like the ones Missouri's Republican lawmakers are hoping to quelch.
"It would be nearly impossible for citizens to participate meaningfully in any sort of direct democracy," said Hall, who believes other states could try to copy Missouri's proposal.
#voters #initiatives #constitution #medicaid
2 days ago
The "ding" of the tram bell as services arrived at Constitution Street in Leith used to be an early warning to the area's bar owners that possible customers were en route.
But businesses in Edinburgh's port are reporting a dramatic drop in footfall after the line was suspended in the wake of a building fire on Princes Street earlier this month.
The blaze at the former Debenhams store means trams are only operating to and from Shandwick Place, while buses have been diverted away from the thoroughfare.
City of Edinburgh Council said they expected work on the site to continue for at least another three weeks.
Building fire closes Edinburgh's main street during festival season
#FIRE #leith #princes #debenhams
But businesses in Edinburgh's port are reporting a dramatic drop in footfall after the line was suspended in the wake of a building fire on Princes Street earlier this month.
The blaze at the former Debenhams store means trams are only operating to and from Shandwick Place, while buses have been diverted away from the thoroughfare.
City of Edinburgh Council said they expected work on the site to continue for at least another three weeks.
Building fire closes Edinburgh's main street during festival season
#FIRE #leith #princes #debenhams
2 days ago
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin appeals court on Wednesday restored a 2011 anti-union law that abolished collective bargaining rights, in a setback for unions and public workers. Unions are expected to appeal, sending the case to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which is controlled by liberal justices.
The 2024 ruling striking down the law as unconstitutional had been on hold pending appeal, so Wednesday's reversal does not change the status quo. The law remains in effect, as it has been the past 15 years, as the legal fight continues.
Enactment of a 2011 anti-union state law, championed by Republicans, sparked weeks of protests and made Wisconsin the center of a national battle over union rights.
That law, known as Act 10, effectively ended most public employees′ ability to bargain for wage increases and other issues, and forced them to pay more for health insurance and retirement benefits.
Supporters of the law say it gives local governments more control over workers and the powers needed to cut costs. They argue that repealing the law, which allowed schools and local governments to raise money through higher employee contributions for benefits, would bankrupt those entities.
#union #court #rights #appeal
The 2024 ruling striking down the law as unconstitutional had been on hold pending appeal, so Wednesday's reversal does not change the status quo. The law remains in effect, as it has been the past 15 years, as the legal fight continues.
Enactment of a 2011 anti-union state law, championed by Republicans, sparked weeks of protests and made Wisconsin the center of a national battle over union rights.
That law, known as Act 10, effectively ended most public employees′ ability to bargain for wage increases and other issues, and forced them to pay more for health insurance and retirement benefits.
Supporters of the law say it gives local governments more control over workers and the powers needed to cut costs. They argue that repealing the law, which allowed schools and local governments to raise money through higher employee contributions for benefits, would bankrupt those entities.
#union #court #rights #appeal
3 days ago
A federal appellate panel on Tuesday refused to block President Donald Trump's executive order seeking to restrict mail voting, a day after the administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in on the proposal in a separate case.
The three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia upheld a May ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols that said an injunction against the order was premature. Nichols ruled that the Democrats and voting rights groups who challenged the order couldn't seek the injunction until the Trump administration issued formal regulations governing it. The administration started releasing those directives days later.
The circuit court panel, with two judges appointed by former Democratic President Barack Obama and one by Trump, found that was proper and there were no noted dissents. But the unsigned decision noted that if the administration truly tried to force such changes in the few months remaining before November's midterm election, it may well get halted by courts.
"The action the Order contemplates would involve the President, whom the Constitution vests with no express authority over the conduct of elections, undertaking a substantial and unfunded overhaul of election procedures — including the implementation of a nationwide reform to Postal Service mail-handling processes —on the threshold of the November election. Put differently, the Order 'may not prove feasible to implement in any manner whatsoever,'" said the ruling, quoting a prior legal opinion.
In a separate case filed by Democratic state officials, a federal judge in Massachusetts last month blocked the executive order from taking effect for this year's elections because it was already forcing states, which are granted the power under the U.S. Constitution to control their own elections, to revise their procedures on the fly. That ruling was upheld on Saturday by a Boston-based appeals court and then was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday by the Trump administration.
#order
The three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia upheld a May ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols that said an injunction against the order was premature. Nichols ruled that the Democrats and voting rights groups who challenged the order couldn't seek the injunction until the Trump administration issued formal regulations governing it. The administration started releasing those directives days later.
The circuit court panel, with two judges appointed by former Democratic President Barack Obama and one by Trump, found that was proper and there were no noted dissents. But the unsigned decision noted that if the administration truly tried to force such changes in the few months remaining before November's midterm election, it may well get halted by courts.
"The action the Order contemplates would involve the President, whom the Constitution vests with no express authority over the conduct of elections, undertaking a substantial and unfunded overhaul of election procedures — including the implementation of a nationwide reform to Postal Service mail-handling processes —on the threshold of the November election. Put differently, the Order 'may not prove feasible to implement in any manner whatsoever,'" said the ruling, quoting a prior legal opinion.
In a separate case filed by Democratic state officials, a federal judge in Massachusetts last month blocked the executive order from taking effect for this year's elections because it was already forcing states, which are granted the power under the U.S. Constitution to control their own elections, to revise their procedures on the fly. That ruling was upheld on Saturday by a Boston-based appeals court and then was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday by the Trump administration.
#order
4 days ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Monday to clear the way for an executive order from President Donald Trump that could dramatically change mail-in voting ahead of November's midterm elections.
The Justice Department asked the justices to halt for now lower court decisions blocking the sweeping changes in nearly half the country.
The request comes shortly after Trump delivered a primetime address elevating his yearslong push to raise doubts about the legitimacy of elections, and could be one of several voting-related challenges before the court ahead of the high-stakes midterm contest.
Trump ordered the government in March to create a "state citizenship list" of eligible voters and deliver mail ballots only to people on that list.
Democratic officials in 23 states and the District of Columbia sued, saying the Constitution gives states and Congress the authority to set election rules, not the president. Their attorneys have said Trump's proposed changes are ripe for abuse and could cause chaos.
#Trump #asked #mail #ahead
The Justice Department asked the justices to halt for now lower court decisions blocking the sweeping changes in nearly half the country.
The request comes shortly after Trump delivered a primetime address elevating his yearslong push to raise doubts about the legitimacy of elections, and could be one of several voting-related challenges before the court ahead of the high-stakes midterm contest.
Trump ordered the government in March to create a "state citizenship list" of eligible voters and deliver mail ballots only to people on that list.
Democratic officials in 23 states and the District of Columbia sued, saying the Constitution gives states and Congress the authority to set election rules, not the president. Their attorneys have said Trump's proposed changes are ripe for abuse and could cause chaos.
#Trump #asked #mail #ahead
7 days ago
ZURICH, July 24 (Reuters) - Switzerland takes note of the announced additional U.S. tariffs but rejects allegations underlying the forced labour investigation, the government said on Friday.
With tariffs of up to 12.5% on Swiss imports, effective July 24, the United States is still adhering to a joint statement of November 2025, the Swiss statement added.
The decision to impose tariffs on Swiss imports based on allegedly insufficient measures against forced labour is neither understandable nor justified, Swiss business **** ociation Economiesuisse said.
"There is no evidence that Swiss supply chains are being used to smuggle goods produced through forced labour into the U.S. market," the group added, calling allegations of forced labor unfounded.
"Forced labour is already prohibited in Switzerland under constitutional, civil and criminal law."
#imports #added
With tariffs of up to 12.5% on Swiss imports, effective July 24, the United States is still adhering to a joint statement of November 2025, the Swiss statement added.
The decision to impose tariffs on Swiss imports based on allegedly insufficient measures against forced labour is neither understandable nor justified, Swiss business **** ociation Economiesuisse said.
"There is no evidence that Swiss supply chains are being used to smuggle goods produced through forced labour into the U.S. market," the group added, calling allegations of forced labor unfounded.
"Forced labour is already prohibited in Switzerland under constitutional, civil and criminal law."
#imports #added
8 days ago
BOSTON (AP) — More than two dozen states on Thursday sued the Trump administration for requiring them to comply with election and immigration conditions to receive billions of dollars in federal funding for disasters.
The lawsuit, filed in Rhode Island and challenging Federal Emergency Management Agency and Department of Homeland Security policies, argued that the administration is requiring states to change their elections systems and help DHS with immigration enforcement. The conditions would also allow DHS to terminate grants at any time and for any reason.
"Once again, the Trump Administration is threatening to jeopardize public safety by unlawfully withholding billions in critical funding and once again, they won't get away with it," Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said. "This Administration is using the safety of Americans as collateral by attempting to bully the states into relinquishing their constitutional right to enact policies and laws that best serve their residents."
The states argue putting conditions on congressionally appropriated funding violates the Administrative Procedure Act and the U.S. Constitution's spending clause. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The lawsuit is one of scores that have challenged the Trump administration over its repeated effort to browbeat mostly Democratic states into complying with its priorities to get billions of dollars in federal funding. The strategy has been used on everything from education funding to domestic violence grants to highway funding.
#federal
The lawsuit, filed in Rhode Island and challenging Federal Emergency Management Agency and Department of Homeland Security policies, argued that the administration is requiring states to change their elections systems and help DHS with immigration enforcement. The conditions would also allow DHS to terminate grants at any time and for any reason.
"Once again, the Trump Administration is threatening to jeopardize public safety by unlawfully withholding billions in critical funding and once again, they won't get away with it," Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said. "This Administration is using the safety of Americans as collateral by attempting to bully the states into relinquishing their constitutional right to enact policies and laws that best serve their residents."
The states argue putting conditions on congressionally appropriated funding violates the Administrative Procedure Act and the U.S. Constitution's spending clause. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The lawsuit is one of scores that have challenged the Trump administration over its repeated effort to browbeat mostly Democratic states into complying with its priorities to get billions of dollars in federal funding. The strategy has been used on everything from education funding to domestic violence grants to highway funding.
#federal
9 days ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — The top federal prosecutor in Seattle who was fired last week less than an hour after being sworn in sued over his termination Tuesday, teeing up a legal challenge to the Trump administration's efforts to control who occupies the powerful Justice Department posts.
Roger Rogoff is the latest in a series of judicially appointed U.S. attorneys to be ousted by the Trump administration from their posts but is believed to be the first of that group to sue over the removal. His action creates a first-of-its-kind court case that will test the Justice Department's authority to fire federal prosecutors who are appointed by judges,
Rogoff was unanimously appointed to the job of U.S. attorney for western Washington by the federal judges in the district. But shortly after he was sworn in last Wednesday, he received an email from the Trump administration informing him that President Donald Trump had ordered his termination.
The lawsuit contends that the abrupt firing was unconstitutional and disregarded the authority of the judges of the district to name Rogoff to the job until the vacancy could be filled through a Senate-confirmed nominee. The complaint seeks a court order declaring that the firing "was unlawful and is void" and that Rogoff at least temporarily remains U.S. attorney.
"The President's actions violate the law, and they ignore the protections of the Constitution of the United States," Rogoff said in a statement issued through the law firm representing him. "His removal of me, like his removal of other court-appointed U.S. attorneys across the country, is illegal and cannot stand."
#judges
Roger Rogoff is the latest in a series of judicially appointed U.S. attorneys to be ousted by the Trump administration from their posts but is believed to be the first of that group to sue over the removal. His action creates a first-of-its-kind court case that will test the Justice Department's authority to fire federal prosecutors who are appointed by judges,
Rogoff was unanimously appointed to the job of U.S. attorney for western Washington by the federal judges in the district. But shortly after he was sworn in last Wednesday, he received an email from the Trump administration informing him that President Donald Trump had ordered his termination.
The lawsuit contends that the abrupt firing was unconstitutional and disregarded the authority of the judges of the district to name Rogoff to the job until the vacancy could be filled through a Senate-confirmed nominee. The complaint seeks a court order declaring that the firing "was unlawful and is void" and that Rogoff at least temporarily remains U.S. attorney.
"The President's actions violate the law, and they ignore the protections of the Constitution of the United States," Rogoff said in a statement issued through the law firm representing him. "His removal of me, like his removal of other court-appointed U.S. attorneys across the country, is illegal and cannot stand."
#judges
11 days ago
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Lawyers for Pamela Smart, who is serving life in prison for orchestrating the murder of her husband by her teenage student in 1990, urged a New Hampshire judge Monday to allow her latest petition for a new trial to move forward.
Smart, 58, was a 22-year-old high school media coordinator when she began an affair with a 15-year-old boy who later fatally shot her husband, Gregory Smart, in Derry.
The shooter was freed in 2015 after serving a 25-year sentence. Though Smart denied knowledge of the plot, she was convicted of being an accomplice to first-degree murder and other crimes and was sentenced to life without parole after a trial that was one of the first in the nation to be broadcast live on television from start to finish.
Smart filed a petition for habeas corpus relief in January seeking to overturn her conviction over what her lawyers claim were several constitutional violations. The state responded with a motion to dismiss the petition, resulting in Monday's hearing, which Smart attended remotely from the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women in New York.
Merrimack County Superior Court Judge James Kennedy took the matter under advisement. He planned to rule in 30 to 60 days.
Smart, 58, was a 22-year-old high school media coordinator when she began an affair with a 15-year-old boy who later fatally shot her husband, Gregory Smart, in Derry.
The shooter was freed in 2015 after serving a 25-year sentence. Though Smart denied knowledge of the plot, she was convicted of being an accomplice to first-degree murder and other crimes and was sentenced to life without parole after a trial that was one of the first in the nation to be broadcast live on television from start to finish.
Smart filed a petition for habeas corpus relief in January seeking to overturn her conviction over what her lawyers claim were several constitutional violations. The state responded with a motion to dismiss the petition, resulting in Monday's hearing, which Smart attended remotely from the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women in New York.
Merrimack County Superior Court Judge James Kennedy took the matter under advisement. He planned to rule in 30 to 60 days.
11 days ago
The Supreme Court agreed Monday to hear an appeal from an Alaskan bush pilot whose plane was seized by authorities after they discovered it was bound for a remote, dry village with beer on board.
The appeal from the 82-year-old pilot, Kenneth Jouppi, could have national implications if the 6-3 conservative court limits the ability of state and local governments to rely on ******* et forfeiture. Jouppi claims that the taking of his $95,000 Cessna for what amounted to a six-pack of beer violated the 8th Amendment's bar on excessive fines.
The Supreme Court is likely to hear oral arguments in the case later this year or early next — and hand down a decision by next summer.
"The Excessive Fines Clause of the Constitution was built for cases like this," said Sam Gedge, a senior attorney at the Institute for Justice, which is representing the pilot. "As government agencies increasingly exploit fines and forfeitures to pad their budgets, it's vital that the Supreme Court make clear that the Excessive Fines Clause is a meaningful check on government overreach."
Jouppi says that the Budweiser and Bud Light found on his plane, which was packaged with other groceries, belonged to a passenger. He said that most of it was out of sight, but state police said one six-pack was in plain view inside a grocery bag. One trooper claimed that Jouppi would "have to be blind" not to have seen at least some of the alcohol and that "pilots with that bad of eyesight just don't fly."
The appeal from the 82-year-old pilot, Kenneth Jouppi, could have national implications if the 6-3 conservative court limits the ability of state and local governments to rely on ******* et forfeiture. Jouppi claims that the taking of his $95,000 Cessna for what amounted to a six-pack of beer violated the 8th Amendment's bar on excessive fines.
The Supreme Court is likely to hear oral arguments in the case later this year or early next — and hand down a decision by next summer.
"The Excessive Fines Clause of the Constitution was built for cases like this," said Sam Gedge, a senior attorney at the Institute for Justice, which is representing the pilot. "As government agencies increasingly exploit fines and forfeitures to pad their budgets, it's vital that the Supreme Court make clear that the Excessive Fines Clause is a meaningful check on government overreach."
Jouppi says that the Budweiser and Bud Light found on his plane, which was packaged with other groceries, belonged to a passenger. He said that most of it was out of sight, but state police said one six-pack was in plain view inside a grocery bag. One trooper claimed that Jouppi would "have to be blind" not to have seen at least some of the alcohol and that "pilots with that bad of eyesight just don't fly."
11 days ago
In June, a unanimous Supreme Court ruled in United States v. Hemani that the government can't strip your right to possess a firearm just because you smoke marijuana. Yet an old drug conviction could still stop you from waxing eyebrows, cutting hair, or giving massages.
Hemani highlights a double standard in constitutional law: Courts roll out the red carpet for some rights while relegating others—like the right to earn a living—to the service entrance.
In Hemani, the Supreme Court held that Ali Hemani could not be prosecuted for possessing a handgun while being an unlawful user of marijuana. Under the Court's Second Amendment framework, when a law burdens protected conduct—like possessing a gun—the government must show that the law is consistent with a historical tradition of firearm regulation. Here, the Court held that the government failed that test.
But similar laws face a much more forgiving test when it comes to a different right—the right to earn a living. States often employ "good moral character" requirements for a license to do certain jobs, which means regulators can deny licenses due to past drug convictions. These requirements have a similar effect as the law that prevented Hemani from possessing a gun because of his marijuana habit.
For example, Courtney Haveman was denied a cosmetology license to do facials and hair removal because of misdemeanors from her drinking days—years after she'd gotten sober. Thankfully, a court held that the character requirement violated the Pennsylvania Constitution.
Hemani highlights a double standard in constitutional law: Courts roll out the red carpet for some rights while relegating others—like the right to earn a living—to the service entrance.
In Hemani, the Supreme Court held that Ali Hemani could not be prosecuted for possessing a handgun while being an unlawful user of marijuana. Under the Court's Second Amendment framework, when a law burdens protected conduct—like possessing a gun—the government must show that the law is consistent with a historical tradition of firearm regulation. Here, the Court held that the government failed that test.
But similar laws face a much more forgiving test when it comes to a different right—the right to earn a living. States often employ "good moral character" requirements for a license to do certain jobs, which means regulators can deny licenses due to past drug convictions. These requirements have a similar effect as the law that prevented Hemani from possessing a gun because of his marijuana habit.
For example, Courtney Haveman was denied a cosmetology license to do facials and hair removal because of misdemeanors from her drinking days—years after she'd gotten sober. Thankfully, a court held that the character requirement violated the Pennsylvania Constitution.
12 days ago
BUDAPEST, July 19 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Peter Magyar said on Sunday that he would ask Judit Polgar, widely regarded as the greatest female chess player of all time, to take up the largely ceremonial role of Hungary's next President.
Magyar said in a Facebook post that Polgar, 49, could represent the nation's unity, and that on Monday he would meet Polgar and ask her if she would accept the nomination.
The move comes a day after President Tamas Sulyok signed a constitutional amendment passed by Magyar's ruling Tisza party that ends his term as head of state.
The legislation was part of Magyar's drive to dismantle former Prime Minister Viktor Orban's bastions of power, for which Magyar says he received a strong mandate from voters after ousting the right-wing leader in an April election landslide.
Parliament, where Magyar's party has a two-thirds majority that allows it to change any laws, will elect a new president who will be in office until a planned new constitution takes effect, or for a maximum of five years.
Magyar said in a Facebook post that Polgar, 49, could represent the nation's unity, and that on Monday he would meet Polgar and ask her if she would accept the nomination.
The move comes a day after President Tamas Sulyok signed a constitutional amendment passed by Magyar's ruling Tisza party that ends his term as head of state.
The legislation was part of Magyar's drive to dismantle former Prime Minister Viktor Orban's bastions of power, for which Magyar says he received a strong mandate from voters after ousting the right-wing leader in an April election landslide.
Parliament, where Magyar's party has a two-thirds majority that allows it to change any laws, will elect a new president who will be in office until a planned new constitution takes effect, or for a maximum of five years.
13 days ago
A Fort Worth Police officer ticketed a preacher in late June, claiming the content of his speech was offensive. This week the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division launched an inquiry into the incident to determine if the officer violated the First Amendment.
The widely circulated video of the confrontation shows an officer and a protester during the Trinity Pride Fest on June 27. "If someone is offended by your talking, then we have a problem," said Officer Sara Stogner.
"That's a constitutional violation of our rights," responds David Grisham, a street preacher and retired federal law enforcement officer. The two continue to argue when Stogner **** erts, "OK, then I'll write you the ticket, and we'll go from there."
"Wait, you're going to ticket us for offensive speech?" the cameraman asks incredulously. To which the officer confidently responds, "Yes, absolutely."
Stogner continues to claim she can ticket the two men for disorderly conduct "if someone complains that your language or what you're saying is offensive."
But that's not how the First Amendment works, according to legal experts. "The First Amendment does not allow government officials to shut down speech simply on account of it being 'offensive,'" said Brennan VanderVeen, program counsel at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. "The government can restrict certain types of conduct or restrict noise above a certain volume level," he continued, but citing someone because people are offended by the content of protected speech is "precisely what the First Amendment does not allow."
The widely circulated video of the confrontation shows an officer and a protester during the Trinity Pride Fest on June 27. "If someone is offended by your talking, then we have a problem," said Officer Sara Stogner.
"That's a constitutional violation of our rights," responds David Grisham, a street preacher and retired federal law enforcement officer. The two continue to argue when Stogner **** erts, "OK, then I'll write you the ticket, and we'll go from there."
"Wait, you're going to ticket us for offensive speech?" the cameraman asks incredulously. To which the officer confidently responds, "Yes, absolutely."
Stogner continues to claim she can ticket the two men for disorderly conduct "if someone complains that your language or what you're saying is offensive."
But that's not how the First Amendment works, according to legal experts. "The First Amendment does not allow government officials to shut down speech simply on account of it being 'offensive,'" said Brennan VanderVeen, program counsel at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. "The government can restrict certain types of conduct or restrict noise above a certain volume level," he continued, but citing someone because people are offended by the content of protected speech is "precisely what the First Amendment does not allow."
13 days ago
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary's president signed a constitutional amendment into law on Saturday that ends his term in office, bringing to a close a dispute between him and the country's new government that was seeking to oust him as part of a purge of officials appointed during the reign of Viktor Orbán.
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar, who defeated the long-serving Orbán in a blowout election in April, had repeatedly called on the Orbán-appointed president, Tamás Sulyok, to resign, arguing he had failed to live up to his role as president by neglecting to stand in the way of antidemocratic steps by Orbán's government.
When Sulyok refused, lawmakers with Magyar's pro-European, center-right Tisza party passed a constitutional amendment this week that called for an immediate end to his term. Sulyok had five days to sign the amendment into law, which he did on the final day before the deadline.
In a video posted to Facebook Saturday evening, Sulyok — whom Magyar had frequently referred to as Orbán's "puppet" — said that being made to sign the amendment was "lasting proof that the fundamental values of a free society, the rule of law, democracy, the principle of power-sharing, have been trampled on in the interest of power."
Sulyok's term will officially end at midnight on Monday, when speaker of Parliament, Ágnes Forsthoffer, will automatically ***** ume his duties until lawmakers elect a new president, a task which has a 30-day deadline.
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar, who defeated the long-serving Orbán in a blowout election in April, had repeatedly called on the Orbán-appointed president, Tamás Sulyok, to resign, arguing he had failed to live up to his role as president by neglecting to stand in the way of antidemocratic steps by Orbán's government.
When Sulyok refused, lawmakers with Magyar's pro-European, center-right Tisza party passed a constitutional amendment this week that called for an immediate end to his term. Sulyok had five days to sign the amendment into law, which he did on the final day before the deadline.
In a video posted to Facebook Saturday evening, Sulyok — whom Magyar had frequently referred to as Orbán's "puppet" — said that being made to sign the amendment was "lasting proof that the fundamental values of a free society, the rule of law, democracy, the principle of power-sharing, have been trampled on in the interest of power."
Sulyok's term will officially end at midnight on Monday, when speaker of Parliament, Ágnes Forsthoffer, will automatically ***** ume his duties until lawmakers elect a new president, a task which has a 30-day deadline.
15 days ago
AtaiBeckley N.V. (NASDAQ:ATAI) is one of the 10 best stocks under $10 that could triple.
On June 25, AtaiBeckley N.V. (NASDAQ:ATAI) shared that the company will be included in the Russell indices following their latest reconstitution. The stock will become a part of the small-cap focused Russell 2000 Index, as well as the broader Russell 3000 Index, effective from June 29 onwards.
Likoper/Shutterstock.com
The company highlighted this as a significant development since more than $12 trillion worth of ****** ets are benchmarked relative to the Russell indexes. The Russell 2000 Index tracks around 2,000 small-cap stocks, while the Russell 3000 Index covers around 3,000 small-, mid-, and large-cap stocks.
Later on July 7, Canaccord Genuity increased the price target on AtaiBeckley N.V. (NASDAQ:ATAI) from $15 to $17, resulting in an adjusted upside potential of over 227%. The firm also reiterated its Buy rating on the stock.
On June 25, AtaiBeckley N.V. (NASDAQ:ATAI) shared that the company will be included in the Russell indices following their latest reconstitution. The stock will become a part of the small-cap focused Russell 2000 Index, as well as the broader Russell 3000 Index, effective from June 29 onwards.
Likoper/Shutterstock.com
The company highlighted this as a significant development since more than $12 trillion worth of ****** ets are benchmarked relative to the Russell indexes. The Russell 2000 Index tracks around 2,000 small-cap stocks, while the Russell 3000 Index covers around 3,000 small-, mid-, and large-cap stocks.
Later on July 7, Canaccord Genuity increased the price target on AtaiBeckley N.V. (NASDAQ:ATAI) from $15 to $17, resulting in an adjusted upside potential of over 227%. The firm also reiterated its Buy rating on the stock.
15 days ago
Sagimet Biosciences Inc. (NASDAQ:SGMT) is one of the 10 best stocks under $10 that could triple.
On June 29, Sagimet Biosciences Inc. (NASDAQ:SGMT) announced that it had been included in the broader Russell 3000 Index and the small-cap focused Russell 2000 Index, as part of the Russell Indexes reconstitution for 2026. The June index reconstitution incorporates about 4,000 of the largest U.S. companies, based on their market capitalization as of the April 30 close.
M. A. Arkhipov/Shutterstock.com
Inclusion in the Russell 3000 Index results in automatic addition to either the Russell 1000 Index or the Russell 2000 Index. It also leads to inclusions across indexes that cover value or growth tilts.
CEO David Happel said this development speaks volumes about what Sagimet has achieved over the years, with people now expecting the company to start its Phase 3 clinical study on denifanstat. He further stated:
On June 29, Sagimet Biosciences Inc. (NASDAQ:SGMT) announced that it had been included in the broader Russell 3000 Index and the small-cap focused Russell 2000 Index, as part of the Russell Indexes reconstitution for 2026. The June index reconstitution incorporates about 4,000 of the largest U.S. companies, based on their market capitalization as of the April 30 close.
M. A. Arkhipov/Shutterstock.com
Inclusion in the Russell 3000 Index results in automatic addition to either the Russell 1000 Index or the Russell 2000 Index. It also leads to inclusions across indexes that cover value or growth tilts.
CEO David Happel said this development speaks volumes about what Sagimet has achieved over the years, with people now expecting the company to start its Phase 3 clinical study on denifanstat. He further stated:
15 days ago
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — A three-month mass trial of hundreds of alleged gang members of MS-13 wrapped up Wednesday in El Salvador, with prosecutors delivering their closing arguments and asking for maximum sentences.
The proceedings against 485 members of the international criminal Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, gang on charges that include homicide, extortion, drugs, arms and human trafficking, have drawn criticism by human rights groups, which say they infringe on defendants' rights under the Latin American country's state of emergency.
The state of emergency, enacted in March 2022, suspended some constitutional rights and tens of thousands of Salvadorans have been detained since then.
"First, the police arrested thousands of people without investigation. Now, the courts are handing down mass convictions to hundreds without credible evidence or any real chance of defense," said Juan Pappier, Americas deputy director for Human Rights Watch.
"This is not justice; it is giving a veneer of legality to the arrests of innocent people that should never have happened."
The proceedings against 485 members of the international criminal Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, gang on charges that include homicide, extortion, drugs, arms and human trafficking, have drawn criticism by human rights groups, which say they infringe on defendants' rights under the Latin American country's state of emergency.
The state of emergency, enacted in March 2022, suspended some constitutional rights and tens of thousands of Salvadorans have been detained since then.
"First, the police arrested thousands of people without investigation. Now, the courts are handing down mass convictions to hundreds without credible evidence or any real chance of defense," said Juan Pappier, Americas deputy director for Human Rights Watch.
"This is not justice; it is giving a veneer of legality to the arrests of innocent people that should never have happened."
15 days ago
By Patricia Zengerle, Jonathan Landay and Luc Cohen
WASHINGTON, July 15 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's nominee to be the top U.S. spy, Jay Clayton, refused on Wednesday to directly acknowledge that the Republican president lost the 2020 election despite repeated questioning by Democrats in a tense Senate confirmation hearing.
Trump "isn't in the room today," Democratic Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona told Clayton. "If you can't disagree with him when he's not in the room, are you going to be able to disagree with him when you're sitting across from him?"
Propelled by the Republican president's unfounded claims that U.S. elections are "rigged" and his refusal to accept his 2020 electoral loss to Democrat Joe Biden, the Trump administration has sought to increase federal oversight of U.S. elections and change the way many Americans vote.
Legal experts say such efforts would take power away from states in violation of the U.S. Constitution.
WASHINGTON, July 15 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's nominee to be the top U.S. spy, Jay Clayton, refused on Wednesday to directly acknowledge that the Republican president lost the 2020 election despite repeated questioning by Democrats in a tense Senate confirmation hearing.
Trump "isn't in the room today," Democratic Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona told Clayton. "If you can't disagree with him when he's not in the room, are you going to be able to disagree with him when you're sitting across from him?"
Propelled by the Republican president's unfounded claims that U.S. elections are "rigged" and his refusal to accept his 2020 electoral loss to Democrat Joe Biden, the Trump administration has sought to increase federal oversight of U.S. elections and change the way many Americans vote.
Legal experts say such efforts would take power away from states in violation of the U.S. Constitution.
17 days ago
"I'm guessing I'll be in line," former FBI Director James Comey quipped after Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced a "settlement agreement" between President Donald Trump and the IRS that included $1.8 billion in taxpayer money for targets of "lawfare and weaponization." Comey's joke encompasses two reasons why the Senate should not confirm Blanche as attorney general: a flagrantly unconstitutional prosecution and a brazenly corrupt arrangement that delivered huge favors to Trump, his family, and his followers at taxpayers' expense.
Blanche's participation in both of those scams demonstrated his eagerness to please his boss, which explains why Trump nominated him to replace Pam Bondi. But that same tendency should alarm anyone who thinks the attorney general should pursue justice rather than the president's personal agenda.
In a scathing ruling on Monday, a federal judge described Trump's lawsuit against the IRS as a pretext for "a 'settlement' that had no viable basis in law or fact." Kathleen Williams, who oversaw the case in the Southern District of Florida, concluded that it never involved a genuine controversy between adverse parties, since both sides were controlled by the president.
Trump's lawsuit, which was joined by two of his sons and the Trump Organization, preposterously alleged that an IRS contractor's illegal disclosure of their tax returns had caused "at least" $10 billion in damages. In addition to offering an improbable estimate of the injury he had suffered, Trump filed the lawsuit more than two years after learning about the leak, exceeding the time limit set by the statute he invoked.
That law covers unauthorized disclosures by "any officer or employee of the United States." So even if Trump had filed his lawsuit on time, he would have faced the challenge of arguing that a contractor employed by a consulting business fit into that category—a point that the Justice Department has disputed in other cases involving similar claims.
Blanche's participation in both of those scams demonstrated his eagerness to please his boss, which explains why Trump nominated him to replace Pam Bondi. But that same tendency should alarm anyone who thinks the attorney general should pursue justice rather than the president's personal agenda.
In a scathing ruling on Monday, a federal judge described Trump's lawsuit against the IRS as a pretext for "a 'settlement' that had no viable basis in law or fact." Kathleen Williams, who oversaw the case in the Southern District of Florida, concluded that it never involved a genuine controversy between adverse parties, since both sides were controlled by the president.
Trump's lawsuit, which was joined by two of his sons and the Trump Organization, preposterously alleged that an IRS contractor's illegal disclosure of their tax returns had caused "at least" $10 billion in damages. In addition to offering an improbable estimate of the injury he had suffered, Trump filed the lawsuit more than two years after learning about the leak, exceeding the time limit set by the statute he invoked.
That law covers unauthorized disclosures by "any officer or employee of the United States." So even if Trump had filed his lawsuit on time, he would have faced the challenge of arguing that a contractor employed by a consulting business fit into that category—a point that the Justice Department has disputed in other cases involving similar claims.
18 days ago
By Jonathan Landay and Erin Banco
July 13 WASHINGTON,(Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump is slated to speak on Thursday about newly declassified intelligence on foreign nations' plans to interfere in the U.S. election in 2020, an MS Now reporter said on X, citing two unidentified White House officials.
The Republican president repeatedly has claimed that he lost the 2020 vote to Democrat Joe Biden because of massive fraud. But numerous courts, ballot audits and his first-term Justice Department found no evidence no evidence of widespread fraud that could have affected the outcome.
Propelled by the Trump's repeated claims that U.S. elections are "rigged," the administration has for more than a year sought to increase federal oversight of election administration in a bid to reshape the way Americans vote — an effort that legal experts say would take power away from states in violation of the U.S. Constitution.
A 2021 U.S. intelligence **** sment found no indications that any foreign actor attempted or succeeded in altering "any technical aspect" of the 2020 presidential election vote, including voter registrations, ballots, tabulations or results.
July 13 WASHINGTON,(Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump is slated to speak on Thursday about newly declassified intelligence on foreign nations' plans to interfere in the U.S. election in 2020, an MS Now reporter said on X, citing two unidentified White House officials.
The Republican president repeatedly has claimed that he lost the 2020 vote to Democrat Joe Biden because of massive fraud. But numerous courts, ballot audits and his first-term Justice Department found no evidence no evidence of widespread fraud that could have affected the outcome.
Propelled by the Trump's repeated claims that U.S. elections are "rigged," the administration has for more than a year sought to increase federal oversight of election administration in a bid to reshape the way Americans vote — an effort that legal experts say would take power away from states in violation of the U.S. Constitution.
A 2021 U.S. intelligence **** sment found no indications that any foreign actor attempted or succeeded in altering "any technical aspect" of the 2020 presidential election vote, including voter registrations, ballots, tabulations or results.
19 days ago
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A Vermont man who was 17 when he and a friend killed a pair of married Dartmouth College professors 25 years ago is seeking to have his life sentence reduced to a minimum of 30 to 40 years.
Robert Tulloch, now 43, was automatically sentenced to life without parole after pleading guilty to first-degree murder in the 2001 stabbing deaths of Half and Susanne Zantop. But the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2012 that mandatory sentences of life without parole are unconstitutional for juveniles, and later applied that decision retroactively.
The rulings gave hundreds of juvenile lifers a shot at freedom, including five men serving life sentences in New Hampshire for murders they committed as teenagers. Tulloch's resentencing hearing, the last of the five, begins Monday in Grafton County Superior Court.
The state hasn't said what sentence it will seek. But in a court filing last week, Tulloch's lawyers argue that a minimum sentence in the range of 30 to 40 years is appropriate, based on a review of other murders committed by juveniles in New Hampshire and cases nationwide that were affected by the Supreme Court rulings.
Attorneys Richard Guerriero and Oliver Bloom also said Tulloch's prison records show he has matured, and that after some initial misconduct early on, he's had no major infractions since 2012 and no minor infractions since 2017. "The vast majority of his write-ups are for possessing too many books," they wrote.
Robert Tulloch, now 43, was automatically sentenced to life without parole after pleading guilty to first-degree murder in the 2001 stabbing deaths of Half and Susanne Zantop. But the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2012 that mandatory sentences of life without parole are unconstitutional for juveniles, and later applied that decision retroactively.
The rulings gave hundreds of juvenile lifers a shot at freedom, including five men serving life sentences in New Hampshire for murders they committed as teenagers. Tulloch's resentencing hearing, the last of the five, begins Monday in Grafton County Superior Court.
The state hasn't said what sentence it will seek. But in a court filing last week, Tulloch's lawyers argue that a minimum sentence in the range of 30 to 40 years is appropriate, based on a review of other murders committed by juveniles in New Hampshire and cases nationwide that were affected by the Supreme Court rulings.
Attorneys Richard Guerriero and Oliver Bloom also said Tulloch's prison records show he has matured, and that after some initial misconduct early on, he's had no major infractions since 2012 and no minor infractions since 2017. "The vast majority of his write-ups are for possessing too many books," they wrote.
20 days ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has subpoenaed several New York Times journalists after their report on security concerns involving the new Air Force One, according to the paper.
The new jet, which President Donald Trump received as a gift from Qatar, entered service last week.
The subpoenas issued Friday seek to force the reporters to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan on Wednesday, the paper said, adding that federal agents delivered some subpoenas to the reporters at their homes.
There was no immediate response from the White House or Department of Justice to requests for comment on Saturday.
"The appearance of federal law enforcement agents on the doorstep of news reporters should shock the conscience of any American who believes in the Constitution and the press freedom it protects," David McCraw, a lawyer for the Times, said in a statement.
The new jet, which President Donald Trump received as a gift from Qatar, entered service last week.
The subpoenas issued Friday seek to force the reporters to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan on Wednesday, the paper said, adding that federal agents delivered some subpoenas to the reporters at their homes.
There was no immediate response from the White House or Department of Justice to requests for comment on Saturday.
"The appearance of federal law enforcement agents on the doorstep of news reporters should shock the conscience of any American who believes in the Constitution and the press freedom it protects," David McCraw, a lawyer for the Times, said in a statement.
21 days ago
A federal appeals court on Thursday upheld an Illinois ban on semiautomatic weapons, keeping in place a law passed largely in response to a deadly Independence Day parade shooting.
The ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit overturns a lower court decision that found the ban unconstitutional. The 2-1 appellate decision found that the Illinois law does not violate the Second Amendment, and its restrictions are "consistent with the principles that underpin our Nation's tradition of firearm regulation."
"Whether to adopt them is thus a decision reposed in our elected representatives, and we reverse," the appeals court said.
The majority opinion also pushes back on claims made by the plaintiffs that semiautomatic weapons are not at fault for mass shootings.
"The undisputed record evidence undercuts that claim, showing that the presence of ******* ault weapons and large-capacity magazines is strongly correlated with the severity of the societal problem," the opinion states.
The ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit overturns a lower court decision that found the ban unconstitutional. The 2-1 appellate decision found that the Illinois law does not violate the Second Amendment, and its restrictions are "consistent with the principles that underpin our Nation's tradition of firearm regulation."
"Whether to adopt them is thus a decision reposed in our elected representatives, and we reverse," the appeals court said.
The majority opinion also pushes back on claims made by the plaintiffs that semiautomatic weapons are not at fault for mass shootings.
"The undisputed record evidence undercuts that claim, showing that the presence of ******* ault weapons and large-capacity magazines is strongly correlated with the severity of the societal problem," the opinion states.
23 days ago
WASHINGTON, July 8 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to rehear a case challenging his executive order curtailing birthright citizenship, a long-shot bid to reverse the court's rejection of one of his signature policies.
The court last month rejected Trump's attempt to restrict birthright citizenship in the U.S., ruling that his directive violated language in the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment that confers citizenship to those born in the United States who are "subject to the jurisdiction thereof."
The U.S. Supreme Court rarely grants requests to rehear cases and has not done so after issuing a ruling in an argued case in decades.
The Republican president called the decision, which was authored by conservative Chief Justice John Roberts, a "miscarriage of justice."
"AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP IS NOT FOR SALE! In fact, that is a crime, and therefore, the Supreme Court's ruling is wrong," Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social. "I will be asking for a Rehearing by the United States Supreme Court, IMMEDIATELY."
The court last month rejected Trump's attempt to restrict birthright citizenship in the U.S., ruling that his directive violated language in the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment that confers citizenship to those born in the United States who are "subject to the jurisdiction thereof."
The U.S. Supreme Court rarely grants requests to rehear cases and has not done so after issuing a ruling in an argued case in decades.
The Republican president called the decision, which was authored by conservative Chief Justice John Roberts, a "miscarriage of justice."
"AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP IS NOT FOR SALE! In fact, that is a crime, and therefore, the Supreme Court's ruling is wrong," Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social. "I will be asking for a Rehearing by the United States Supreme Court, IMMEDIATELY."
23 days ago
IREN Ltd (NASDAQ:IREN) is one of the top 10 AI stocks that will skyrocket.
On June 29, IREN Ltd (NASDAQ:IREN) disclosed that it has been included in the Russell 1000 Index after the recent reconstitution of FTSE Russell Indexes. The inclusion became effective at the close of play on June 26.
Addition to the Russell 1000 Index, which is used as a performance benchmark for large-cap stocks, represents a key milestone for the company. It comes after persistent expansion of its customer base, as well as operations across the United States.
Back on June 18, Jonathan Petersen of Jefferies initiated coverage of the stock with a target price of $79, implying almost 73% upside for investors. The ***** yst ***** igned a Buy rating to the stock based on its vertically integrated, GPU-cloud approach.
Peterson reflected favorably on the company's lucrative and sizeable pipeline of powered land. He acknowledged the company's strategic pivot that has earned it a unique spot within the broader AI infrastructure segment.
On June 29, IREN Ltd (NASDAQ:IREN) disclosed that it has been included in the Russell 1000 Index after the recent reconstitution of FTSE Russell Indexes. The inclusion became effective at the close of play on June 26.
Addition to the Russell 1000 Index, which is used as a performance benchmark for large-cap stocks, represents a key milestone for the company. It comes after persistent expansion of its customer base, as well as operations across the United States.
Back on June 18, Jonathan Petersen of Jefferies initiated coverage of the stock with a target price of $79, implying almost 73% upside for investors. The ***** yst ***** igned a Buy rating to the stock based on its vertically integrated, GPU-cloud approach.
Peterson reflected favorably on the company's lucrative and sizeable pipeline of powered land. He acknowledged the company's strategic pivot that has earned it a unique spot within the broader AI infrastructure segment.
23 days ago
Moneywise and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue through links in the content below.
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong doesn't dispute that America's founding document helped create the world's most successful democracy, but he does think it's missing two critical safeguards that could have prevented today's debt crisis.
In a post on X (1), Armstrong agrees that the Constitution was "the most important political innovation ever." However, he says it fails in a modern digital age for two reasons: it lacks a spending cap and a commitment to "hard-backed" currency.
Dave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans are making 1 big Social Security mistake — here's what it is and 3 simple steps to fix it ASAP
JP Morgan sees gold hitting $6,000/oz before 2027 — and a gold IRA lets you hold the physical metal while deferring the tax bill. Get your free guide from Priority Gold
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong doesn't dispute that America's founding document helped create the world's most successful democracy, but he does think it's missing two critical safeguards that could have prevented today's debt crisis.
In a post on X (1), Armstrong agrees that the Constitution was "the most important political innovation ever." However, he says it fails in a modern digital age for two reasons: it lacks a spending cap and a commitment to "hard-backed" currency.
Dave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans are making 1 big Social Security mistake — here's what it is and 3 simple steps to fix it ASAP
JP Morgan sees gold hitting $6,000/oz before 2027 — and a gold IRA lets you hold the physical metal while deferring the tax bill. Get your free guide from Priority Gold
23 days ago
Public universities and school districts have agreed to pay more than $2.7 million to educators disciplined over social media posts about slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, including a $1.9 million settlement approved last week, as lawsuits alleging First Amendment violations continue to mount.
NBC News reported Friday that public records show at least five educators have reached settlements with their employers over the past year totaling more than $2.7 million, with a newly approved agreement accounting for the largest share.
Former University of Tennessee professor Tamar Shirinian is set to receive $1.9 million to settle a lawsuit accusing the school of violating her constitutional rights after officials sought to discipline her over social media posts criticizing Kirk following his ***** assination.
Charlie Kirk's Parents, Widow To Attend Tyler Robinson's Preliminary Hearing Next Week
Knox News reported on June 29 that the University of Tennessee System Board of Trustees approved a $1.9 million settlement for Shirinian after she called Kirk, who was ***** assinated Sept. 10 during his "American Comeback Tour" at Utah Valley University, a "disgusting psychopath."
NBC News reported Friday that public records show at least five educators have reached settlements with their employers over the past year totaling more than $2.7 million, with a newly approved agreement accounting for the largest share.
Former University of Tennessee professor Tamar Shirinian is set to receive $1.9 million to settle a lawsuit accusing the school of violating her constitutional rights after officials sought to discipline her over social media posts criticizing Kirk following his ***** assination.
Charlie Kirk's Parents, Widow To Attend Tyler Robinson's Preliminary Hearing Next Week
Knox News reported on June 29 that the University of Tennessee System Board of Trustees approved a $1.9 million settlement for Shirinian after she called Kirk, who was ***** assinated Sept. 10 during his "American Comeback Tour" at Utah Valley University, a "disgusting psychopath."
23 days ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to block Texas from enforcing a state law that requires apps stores to verify users' ages and obtain parental consent for minors seeking to download apps or make in-app purchases on mobile phones.
Justice Samuel Alito, in a pair of one-sentence orders, denied petitions by plaintiffs who claim that the Texas App Store Accountability Act violates users' constitutional rights to free speech.
Last month, a three-judge panel from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the law can take effect. The panel suspended a district court's ruling last December that the law is unconstitutional.
The plaintiffs suing to block the law include the Computer & Communications Industry ***** ociation and Students Engaged in Advancing Texas. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is a defendant in both cases.
Plaintiffs' lawyers argued that the law impermissibly seeks to limit access to content protected by the First Amendment, including news and educational material.
Justice Samuel Alito, in a pair of one-sentence orders, denied petitions by plaintiffs who claim that the Texas App Store Accountability Act violates users' constitutional rights to free speech.
Last month, a three-judge panel from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the law can take effect. The panel suspended a district court's ruling last December that the law is unconstitutional.
The plaintiffs suing to block the law include the Computer & Communications Industry ***** ociation and Students Engaged in Advancing Texas. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is a defendant in both cases.
Plaintiffs' lawyers argued that the law impermissibly seeks to limit access to content protected by the First Amendment, including news and educational material.
24 days ago
There are several former Georgia Bulldogs who are developing into stars in the NFL, and when Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox highlighted a player from each team he deemed as their "most promising building block", three Bulldogs made his list.
Outside linebacker Jalon Walker from the Atlanta Falcons along with Detroit Lions offensive lineman Tate Ratledge. Drafted No. 15 in the 2025 NFL draft, Walker enjoyed a solid season with the Falcons. He totaled 36 tackles, 5 1/2 sacks, nine quarterback hits, and 29 total pressures, according to Pro Football Focus (premium subscription needed).
Overall, he had a solid 71.6 PFF grade, with his best attribute grade as an 81.3 PFF grade in run defense. His best game pressure-wise was against the New England Patriots in Week 9, a game where he earned four pressures and two sacks.
With linebacker Kaden Elliss departing for the New Orleans Saints, Walker could be expanded into a bigger role. "We're going to ask him to do a lot," defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said, per Daniel Flick of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "He is one of those guys that's going to be in a similar role that Kaden had last year."
Before Walker became a promising young talent with the Atlanta Falcons, he was a staple of Georgia's ferocious front seven in the early 2020s. The former four-star linebacker recruit from Salisbury, North Carolina, committed to Georgia in 2021. In his freshman season, he helped Georgia win a national championship as a reserve linebacker.
Outside linebacker Jalon Walker from the Atlanta Falcons along with Detroit Lions offensive lineman Tate Ratledge. Drafted No. 15 in the 2025 NFL draft, Walker enjoyed a solid season with the Falcons. He totaled 36 tackles, 5 1/2 sacks, nine quarterback hits, and 29 total pressures, according to Pro Football Focus (premium subscription needed).
Overall, he had a solid 71.6 PFF grade, with his best attribute grade as an 81.3 PFF grade in run defense. His best game pressure-wise was against the New England Patriots in Week 9, a game where he earned four pressures and two sacks.
With linebacker Kaden Elliss departing for the New Orleans Saints, Walker could be expanded into a bigger role. "We're going to ask him to do a lot," defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said, per Daniel Flick of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "He is one of those guys that's going to be in a similar role that Kaden had last year."
Before Walker became a promising young talent with the Atlanta Falcons, he was a staple of Georgia's ferocious front seven in the early 2020s. The former four-star linebacker recruit from Salisbury, North Carolina, committed to Georgia in 2021. In his freshman season, he helped Georgia win a national championship as a reserve linebacker.
