| The court reigns supreme |
Illustration: Maura Losch/AxiosThe Supreme Court spent its latest term sidelining Congress and amassing power for itself and the presidency, Axios’ Andrew Pantazi writes. After the term that ended this week, Congress can no longer insulate regulators from the president, limit political parties’ spending, or require race-conscious voting districts. The justices overturned precedents, second-guessed Congress and brushed aside facts found by lower courts. Georgetown Law professor Steve Vladeck tells Axios: “The real headlineof the current term is, ‘Supreme Court rules for itself, 6–3.'” Some of the court’s most notable recent decisions:Choosing which parts of the FTC to keep (the powers Congress gave it) and which to shed (the independence Congress designed). Making it nearly impossible to use the Voting Rights Act to challenge maps diluting Black and Latino voting power. Striking down limits on coordinated political party spending (which it had upheld in 2001). Curbing Congress’ power to make state officials pay damages for violating federal funding laws. Letting President Trump keep withholding $4 billion in congressionally appropriated foreign aid, at least for now. Reality check: The president didn’t win everything this term. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote all three major rulings against Trump: blocking emergency tariffs, sparing Fed governor Lisa Cook (for now), and rejecting the executive order ending birthright citizenship. What’s next: Trump’s biggest defeat doubled as the term’s loudest warning. Four justices were willing to say that Trump’s birthright citizenship order didn’t violate the 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to all those born in the country. Georgetown’s Vladeck says the fact that a position deemed “outlandish as recently as a decade ago” got four votes will “embolden” the next wave of once-fringe constitutional arguments. Go deeper. |
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Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios
Some of the court’s most notable recent decisions: