Supreme Court plans to return to in-person arguments in October
WASHINGTON — The justices are putting the “court” back in Supreme Court.
The high court announced Wednesday that the justices plan to return to their majestic, marble courtroom for arguments beginning in October, more than a year and a half after the in-person sessions were halted because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The justices had been hearing cases by phone during the pandemic but are currently on their summer break. The court said that oral arguments scheduled for October, November and December will be in the courtroom but that: “Out of concern for the health and safety of the public and Supreme Court employees, the Courtroom sessions will not be open to the public.”
“The Court will continue to closely monitor public health guidance in determining plans,” the announcement said.
The court said that while lawyers will no longer argue by telephone, the public will continue to be able to listen to live broadcasts of the arguments. Only the justices, essential court personnel, lawyers in the cases being argued and journalists who cover the court full-time will be allowed in the courtroom. Lawyers involved in the cases said they were told testing would be required of lawyers attending in person.
Trump to endorse Cheney rival:
Former President Donald Trump has chosen a favored candidate in his bid to unseat Rep. Liz Cheney, one of his most vocal Republican critics.
Trump is planning to endorse Wyoming attorney Harriet Hageman, who is preparing to launch a primary campaign against Cheney, the most prominent member of Congress to vote for Trump’s second impeachment, according to a person familiar with his decision. The person spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of a formal announcement.
The move marks Trump’s most significant endorsement to date as he works to maintain his status as GOP kingmaker and make good on his threat to exact revenge on those who voted to impeach him or blocked his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
Trump has already endorsed a number of Republicans challenging GOP incumbents who all voted in favor of impeaching Trump for his role in inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol building.
Prison fire: A massive fire raged through an overcrowded prison near Indonesia’s capital early Wednesday, killing at least 41 inmates, two of them foreigners serving drug sentences, and injuring 80 others.
Firefighters battled through the early morning hours to extinguish the flames as smoke billowed from the compound of the Tangerang prison on the outskirts of Jakarta.
After the blaze was extinguished, ambulances filled with body bags containing the victims were driven by Red Cross workers to the morgue of a local hospital, where they were stacked wall-to-wall on the floor of a room awaiting transport to a larger facility for identification.
Relatives of prisoners trickled in to the prison throughout the day to check and see whether their loved ones were among those killed.
The fire broke out at 1:45 a.m. in Block C2 of the prison, where the 19 cells that were built to hold 40 inmates were stuffed full with more than triple that number. The cause of the blaze appears to have been an electrical short circuit, according to initial findings, Jakarta police Chief Fadil Imran said.
Ethel Kennedy on Sirhan Sirhan:
Ethel Kennedy, the wife of the late Robert F. Kennedy, said assassin Sirhan Sirhan should not be released from prison, further roiling a family divide over whether the man convicted of killing her husband in California in 1968 should be freed on parole.
In a brief statement released on Twitter by her daughter, lawyer and activist Kerry Kennedy, Ethel Kennedy said bluntly Tuesday: “He should not be paroled.”
“Bobby believed we should work to ‘tame the savageness of man and make
gentle the life of the world,’ ” Kennedy, 93, wrote.
“He wanted to end the war in Vietnam and bring people together to build a better, stronger country. More than anything, he wanted to be a good father and loving husband,” she wrote, adding: “Our family and our country suffered an unspeakable loss due to the inhumanity of one man. We believe in the gentleness that spared his life, but in taming his act of violence, he should not have the opportunity to terrorize again.”
Her statement came a week after former U.S. Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II, RFK’S oldest son, also denounced the possible parole of Sirhan, 77. Two other RFK offspring — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Douglas Kennedy — have said they support the release.
Defiant Tiananmen vigil leaders arrested:
Hong Kong police Wednesday arrested four leaders of the group that organized the
city’s annual Tiananmen Square commemorations after they refused to cooperate in a national security investigation, the group said.
The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China had openly challenged the enforcement of a 14-month-old national security law, saying police were arbitrarily labeling pro-democracy organizations as foreign agents.
The alliance is best known for organizing candlelight vigils in Hong Kong on the anniversary of China’s bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989.
Authorities have banned the vigils for the past two years, citing public health risks due to the pandemic, although critics believe the ban is part of an ongoing crackdown on dissent in the city following months of anti-government protests in 2019.
Macy’s Thanksgiving parade: The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will return to New York City’s streets this year with COVID-19 protocols including a vaccination requirement for parade volunteers, Macy’s and city officials announced Wednesday.
The Nov. 25 parade will be broadcast on NBC and will feature the traditional giant balloons, celebrity performers, clowns and marching bands, Macy’s said.
“We are thrilled to welcome back in its full form the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, a world-renowned celebration that ushers in the magic of being in New York City during the holiday season,” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement.
Parade staff members and volunteers will have to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination, Macy’s said. Face coverings will be required, with some exceptions for singers and other performers.