CHF Legal

The Hill: Supreme Court strikes down NC districts as illegally based on race

Maia Kelly — Sun, 28 May 2017 21:08:57 +0000

Posted by TheHill.com, May 22nd, 2017.

In a 5-3 ruling, the justices affirmed that North Carolina packed black voters into the 1st and 12th districts, and used race as the predominant factor when drawing district lines. Both districts were represented by democrats, but in a rare and surprising move traditionally conservative Justice Clarence Thomas sided with the courts more liberal members as well. For Justice Clarence Thomas this decision is a dramatic departure as his judicial record suggests that he has believed in formal colorblindness. In a time where the GOP seems to control almost every aspect of American politics, it’s refreshing to see a conservative judge side with ‘the liberals’ for once.

CNN: AG Sessions paves way for stricter sentencing in criminal cases

Chris — Sun, 28 May 2017 20:48:08 +0000

Posted by CNN.com, May 12, 2017.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions’s announced that he is pushing for prosecutors to charge defendants, essentially with the most serious crime they can prove in any case. Sessions and the Trump administration express their plans to ‘crack down’ on illegal immigration and drug-related crime, and continue to depart from many of the Obama-era domestic policies.

The Washington Post: Reactions to Sessions’s call for tougher sentencing

Chris — Sun, 28 May 2017 20:38:25 +0000

Posted by WashingtonPost.com, May 12, 2017.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions’s new charging memo regarding drug policy is “not tough on crime, but is dumb on crime,” according to former Attorney General Eric Holder. Many are critical of this proposal and continue to voice their concerns and critiques to the media.

Brennan Center For Justice: Still Searching for Justice

Chris — Sun, 28 May 2017 20:16:32 +0000

Posted by BrennanCenter.org, May 1, 2017.

25 years after the riots in Los Angeles over the acquittal of four white LAPD officers who brutally beat motorist Rodney King, the anger between African American communities and police remains. We continue to see incidents where police kill unarmed black people even in the 21st century, and the rage that is the primary reason for explosive civil unrest is being stoked anew on an almost daily basis.

Rolling Stone: Senate Moves Forward with Bipartisan Bill to Rein in Jeff Sessions

Chris — Fri, 26 May 2017 17:56:22 +0000

Published by RollingStone.com, May 18, 2017.

Senator Rand Paul and Senator Patrick Leahy introduce The Justice Safety Valve Act which works to empower federal judges to give out sentences below the mandatory minimum in certain cases. This is the first of many steps towards neutralizing US Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ recent order for federal judge to seek the toughest possible sentences in drug cases, even for non-violent defendants.