Today's Awful SCOTUS Rulings Don't Even Include Abortion

By Frances Langum — June 23, 2022

The terrible, awful, no-good Scotus decisions for today, and Elie Mystal's reaction to them. And we have to wait for Dobbs. Ugh.

1. Berger v. North Carolina State Conference of the NAACP

The Court basically decided that if Republicans want to replace Democrats in defending Voter ID, that's fine.

The Supreme Court rules 8-1 that GOP lawmakers in North Carolina can intervene in litigation to defend a state voter-ID law. The NAACP is challenging the law, and the NC attorney general (a Democrat) is defending it. GOP legislators want to intervene anyway. SCOTUS says they can.

— SCOTUSblog (@SCOTUSblog) June 23, 2022

First case is Berger v. NC NAACP. It's 8-1 with Sotomayor dissenting... thank God.
NAACP sued NC's voter ID law. The Dem state attorney general defended the state. Republicans wanted to intervene, basically arguing Dems could not defend Voter ID. This stupid court says sure.

— Elie Mystal (@ElieNYC) June 23, 2022

Like, it'd be one thing if the Dem state AG was like "screw this case." But they didn't. THEY DID THEIR JOB. Republicans in the House just wanted him to do the job with more asshole. And SCOTUS is going to let them intervene for no reason.

— Elie Mystal (@ElieNYC) June 23, 2022

2. Nance v. Ward, a death penalty case. Yes, in 2022 we still have "death penalty cases."

The Supreme Court sides with a man on Georgia's death row in a case about what procedural mechanism prisoners must use to challenge the constitutionality of a state's execution method. SCOTUS says prisoners are not limited to the federal habeas laws to bring such challenges.

— SCOTUSblog (@SCOTUSblog) June 23, 2022

2nd case is a death penalty case, Nance v. Ward. That's 5-4, by Kagan. They're not going to let this person live, of course, but they're at least going to let him choose the method of his death. Barret (alleged Christian), Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch dissenting, of course.

— Elie Mystal (@ElieNYC) June 23, 2022

3. Vega v. Tekoh. Scotus throws away Miranda rights. Really.

If a police officer fails to give a suspect his Miranda warnings, and the gov't uses the suspect's un-Mirandized statements against him in court, can the suspect sue the officer for violating his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination? In a 6-3 ruling, SCOTUS says no.

— SCOTUSblog (@SCOTUSblog) June 23, 2022

Good lord, we have Vega v. Tekoh. The Supreme Court just gutted Miranda, ruling that a person who did NOT receive the warning has NO RIGHT to sue the government for the constitutional violation.

6-3. By the people you'd expect. Jesus Christ.

— Elie Mystal (@ElieNYC) June 23, 2022

Folks, this basically overturns "the right to remain silent." It means that you can't sue the state if a cop fails to tell you your rights.

— Elie Mystal (@ElieNYC) June 23, 2022

4. New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen. Guns for everybody! says the High Court.

The Supreme Court STRIKES DOWN a New York gun-control law that required people to show "proper cause" to get a license to carry a concealed handgun outside the home. The vote is 6-3. https://t.co/jA2Gl7lTiG

— SCOTUSblog (@SCOTUSblog) June 23, 2022

Thomas is for real saying that you have a right to shoot people not only under the Second Amendment, but the 14th as well!

— Elie Mystal (@ElieNYC) June 23, 2022

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