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Supreme Court will weigh banning homeless people from sleeping outside
State Law Issues |
2024/04/22 12:22
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The Supreme Court will consider Monday whether banning homeless people from sleeping outside when shelter space is lacking amounts to cruel and unusual punishment.
The case is considered the most significant to come before the high court in decades on homelessness, which has reached record levels in the United States.
In California and other Western states, courts have ruled that it’s unconstitutional to fine and arrest people sleeping in homeless encampments if shelter space is lacking.
A cross-section of Democratic and Republican officials contend that makes it difficult for them to manage encampments, which can have dangerous and unsanitary living conditions.
But hundreds of advocacy groups argue that allowing cities to punish people who need a place to sleep will criminalize homelessness and ultimately make the crisis worse as the cost of housing increases.
Dozens of demonstrators gathered outside the court Monday morning with silver thermal blankets and signs like “housing not handcuffs.”
The Justice Department has also weighed in. It argues people shouldn’t be punished just for sleeping outside, but only if there’s a determination they truly have nowhere else to go.
The case comes from the rural Oregon town of Grants Pass, which started fining people $295 for sleeping outside to manage homeless encampments that sprung up in the city’s public parks as the cost of housing escalated.
The measure was largely struck down by the San Francisco-based 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which also found in 2018 that such bans violated the Eighth Amendment by punishing people for something they don’t have control over. The 9th Circuit oversees nine Western states, including California, which is home to about one-third of the nation’s homeless population.
The case comes after homelessness in the United States grew a dramatic 12%, to its highest reported level as soaring rents and a decline in coronavirus pandemic assistance combined to put housing out of reach for more Americans, according to federal data. The court is expected to decide the case by the end of June. |
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Court questions obstruction charges brought against Jan. 6 rioters and Trump
Court Updates |
2024/04/17 08:34
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The Supreme Court on Tuesday questioned whether federal prosecutors went too far in bringing obstruction charges against hundreds of participants in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. But it wasn’t clear how the justices would rule in a case that also could affect the prosecution of former President Donald Trump, who faces the same charge for his efforts to overturn his election loss in 2020.
The justices heard arguments over the charge of obstruction of an official proceeding in the case of Joseph Fischer, a former Pennsylvania police officer who has been indicted for his role in disrupting Congress’ certification of Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential election victory over Trump. Fischer is one of 330 people facing that charge, which stems from a law passed in the aftermath of the Enron financial scandal more than two decades ago to deal with the destruction of documents.
Trump is facing two charges in a separate case brought by special counsel Jack Smith in Washington that could be knocked out with a favorable ruling from the nation’s highest court. Next week, the justices will hear arguments over whether the former president and presumptive nominee for the 2024 Republican nomination has “absolute immunity” from prosecution in that case, a proposition that has so far been rejected by two lower courts.
Smith has argued separately in the immunity case that the obstruction charges against Trump are valid no matter how the court decides Fischer’s case. The first former U.S. president under indictment, Trump is on trial on hush money charges in New York and also has been charged with election interference in Georgia and with mishandling classified documents in Florida.
It was not clear after more than 90 minutes of arguments precisely where the court would land in Fischer’s case. Conservative justices Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch appeared most likely to side with Fischer, while liberal Justices Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor seemed more favorable to the Justice Department’s position.
Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Ketanji Brown Jackson, a former federal public defender, expressed interest in more of a middle-ground outcome that might make it harder, but not impossible, for prosecutors to use the obstruction charge.
Some of the conservative justices said the law was so broad that it could be used against even peaceful protests and also questioned why the Justice Department has not brought charges under the provision in other violent protests.
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Biden is seeking higher tariffs on Chinese steel as he courts union voters
Court Updates |
2024/04/15 08:34
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President Joe Biden is calling for a tripling of tariffs on steel from China to protect American producers from a flood of cheap imports, an announcement he planned to roll out Wednesday in an address to steelworkers in the battleground state of Pennsylvania.
The move reflects the intersection of Biden’s international trade policy with his efforts to court voters in a state that is likely to play a pivotal role in deciding November’s election.
The White House insists, however, that it is more about shielding American manufacturing from unfair trade practices overseas than firing up a union audience.
In addition to boosting steel tariffs, Biden also will seek to triple levies on Chinese aluminum. The current rate is 7.5% for both metals. The administration also promised to pursue anti-dumping investigations against countries and importers that try to saturate existing markets with Chinese steel, and said it was working with Mexico to ensure that Chinese companies can’t circumvent the tariffs by shipping steel there for subsequent export to the U.S.
“The president understands we must invest in American manufacturing. But we also have to protect those investments and those workers from unfair exports associated with China’s industrial overcapacity,” White House National Economic Adviser Lael Brainard said on a call with reporters.
Biden was set to announce that he is asking the U.S. Trade Representative to consider tripling the tariffs during a visit to United Steelworkers union headquarters in Pittsburgh. The president is on a three-day Pennsylvania swing that began in Scranton on Tuesday and will include a visit to Philadelphia on Thursday.
The administration says China is distorting markets and eroding competition by unfairly flooding the market with below-market-cost steel.
”China’s policy-driven overcapacity poses a serious risk to the future of the American steel and aluminum industry,” Brainard said. Referencing China’s economic downturn, she added that Beijing “cannot export its way to recovery.”
“China is simply too big to play by its own rules,” Brainard said.
Higher tariffs can carry major economic risks. Steel and aluminum could become more expensive, possibly increasing the costs of cars, construction materials and other key goods for U.S. consumers.
Inflation has already been a drag on Biden’s political fortunes, and his turn toward protectionism echoes the playbook of his predecessor and opponent in this fall’s election, Donald Trump.
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Korean Air Pilot Jobs - Korean Air's competitive pay awaits you!
Legal World News |
2024/04/13 08:34
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TAS is committed to recruiting experienced airline pilots for exceptional career opportunities with Korean Air, a premier airline in Asia.
Our management team comes with years of flight operations and management experience at Korean Air, enabling TAS to provide unique 'Excellence in Flight Crew Support' throughout your career with Korean Air.
Combined with our sincere dedication to serve, TAS is here to provide you with the best assistance and support. Let us show you how.
Korean Air Pilot Jobs
Our vision is to stand as a leading flight crew provider, offering a seamless journey from your initial application through the selection process, training, and the entirety of your assignment with Korean Air.
The cornerstone of our success is founded in the wonderful communication we enjoy between TAS and our pilots. We endeavor every day to enable and maintain an open and transparent dialogue. Thanks to our experiences at Korean Air, TAS is also proud of the clear and expeditious communication we share with Korean Air’s management.
TAS proudly represents Korean Air, our valued partner with an exceptional legacy.
Korean Air started in 1969 as a small airline with eight planes. Today, it has grown into a respected leader in the global airline community, operating a modern fleet of over 150 aircraft that connect travelers to more than 120 cities in 43 countries around the world.
Korean Air has earned prestigious recognition as a 5-Star Airline from Skytrax, a renowned organization for airline ratings and customer service experiences. This recognition reflects Korean Air’s commitment to delivering outstanding customer services and exceptional in-flight experiences.
Furthermore, Korean Air’s unwavering commitment to safety has led to significant investments and reforms in its safety systems over the years. These efforts have not only enhanced its reputation as one of the world’s safest airlines but have also resulted in the lowest aviation insurance rates globally, making Korean Air one of the safest airlines in the world today.
In 2024, Korean Air proudly celebrates its 55th anniversary – a momentous achievement reflecting its enduring dedication to the core values of “customer satisfaction” and “safety.” Korean Air remains unwavering in its pursuit of earning the highest esteem within the global aviation industry.
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