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Contents
The Country Mourns The Loss of a Heroine While Experiencing Further Political Turbulence
Fighting to Make Officer Misconduct Records Public
Rest In Peace, to the Notorious RBG
The Legality Behind Current CDC Guidelines
ICE Performs Mass Hysterectomies on Immigrant Detainees
Justice in the News
The Country Mourns The Loss of A Heroine While Experiencing Further Political Turbulence
US Judge Blocks Post office changes due to concern over implications for the 2020 election
Trump Claims That He Will Nominate a Woman To The Supreme Court This Week
ICE facility investigated for unwanted hysterectomies and other abuses of detainees
Ongoing Court Cases
Fighting to Make Officer Misconduct Records Public
One of the ways we are able to hold our police officers accountable is through public records that capture officer misconduct and discipline. After Bill de Blasio announced that he had plans to release a searchable NYPD misconduct database and the New York State Legislature repealed Civil Rights Law 50-a just this past July, five police unions, along with corrections and firefighter unions, filed a lawsuit against New York City to repeal 50-a. As a result, Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) filed a motion to intervene in this lawsuit.
What you need to know about the New York Civil Rights Law 50-a:
Essentially, it hides police misconduct records from the public
Applies to police officers, firefighters, and correction officers
Laws like 50-a exist in 22 other states
On July 22nd, a federal judge stopped the release of these misconduct records to the public due to a request from police unions. As a result, the CPR fought back and on August 25th, CPR was granted permission to intervene in this case. On September 17th (just a few days ago!), the Court of Appeals granted a temporary stay for unions.
What does this mean?
Officer records will be kept private until the appeal is resolved
There is a possibility that Civil Right Law 50-a will be reinstated
The CPR is going to continue to advocate on behalf of the citizens
Collectively, we must continue to fight to make officer misconduct records public (in every state!), in order to hold them accountable and protect the American people. Find out if records in your state are confidential here!
Education
Rest In Peace, to the Notorious RBG
This past Friday, September 18th, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away; she was 87. RBG was the second woman to serve on the Supreme Court and was a trailblazer advocate for women’s rights. She was the longest-serving member and leader for the four liberal identifying justices on the court. As expected, her passing will ignite a tumultuous political battle over who will replace her amid an election year.
What you should know:
The court has stood at 5-4 with conservatives taking the slim majority since 2019. This breakdown has been essential as it still allows liberal court decisions to occur due to needing only one conservative judge to side with the liberal wing.
For example, this past June, conservative Justice John Robers joined the liberal wing to allow the court to rule 5-4 to block a Louisiana law restricting abortion rights.
RBG’s passing, however, allows Republicans and the Trump administration to appoint another conservative judge to make the court a dominant 6-3 majority.
Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell vowed that Trump’s nomination to replace her seat would receive a Senate floor vote despite this year’s election.
Democrats expressed that this move would be hypocritical. In 2016, an election year, McConnell blocked the Senate from voting for President Obama’s court nomination, Merrick Garland, to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia’s seat.
What you should expect:
Trump announced on September 20th that his nomination would be a woman, preferably federal appeals Judge Amy Coney Barrett, a religious conservative.
Many expect his nomination to arrive before the first presidential debate, September 29th.
Historically, the Senate has taken approximately 70 days to confirm a Supreme Court Justice nominee, which indicates a confirmation would occur after November’s election and during Congress’s lame-duck period.
That is something to note as Democrats would need 4 Republicans to defect to block Trump’s nomination.
As we mourn the death of RBG, it would be incredulous to see Republicans not honor her dying wish that she had expressed to her granddaughter, “My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed."
May her memory be a blessing.
Law
The Legality Behind Current CDC Guidelines
Last month the testing guidance on the CDC’s website was published against scientists’ suggestions. Instead, the H.H.S Department of Health and Human Services wrote the testing guidance. This news has prompted outrage and fearfulness by the American people—the question among many asking if this is even legal in the first place.
What you need to know:
The recommendation suggested it was not required to test people without symptoms of COVID-19, even those exposed to the virus.
The CDC scientists strongly advised against this recommendation.
The recommendation came at a time when public health officials were pushing for more tests to be conducted.
As alleged, the recommendation was ordered by the administration as it seems conflicting statements were suggesting otherwise.
Is this Legal?
Seemingly, yes. The administration can do and take advice from anywhere, but it must not infringe upon American rights.
Constitutionally the administration has free reign on how they may see fit to advise in any type of public issue that may affect the American people.
While it is far from advisable to lie to citizens of the United States and mask the trained CDC officials’ voices, think about who you should be trusting—qualified CDC scientists or an administration with no prior knowledge of viruses?
Call-to-Action
ICE Performs Mass Hysterectomies on Immigrant Detainees
ICE is currently under investigation for performing unwanted hysterectomies on detained women. Forced sterilization is fundamentally cruel and widely considered a crime against humanity. People need to be aware that this is happening and be concerned about the livelihood of these violated women.
30 seconds: Sign This Petition
1 minute: Sign up for updates and information on how to take action via the American Civil Liberties Union
2 minutes: Re-share posts that raise awareness on Instagram, Twitter or other social media
5-10 minutes: Read through this Article on what you can do for immigrant families and choose how to help
$ for a good cause: Donate to Kids in Need of Defense (KIND)
Written by: Namrata Subramanian, Daniele’ Evans, Jacob Neel, & Raymond Hurst
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