Don't really know -- the VA Sup. Ct. can be hard to predict. But the fact that they let the referendum go forward suggests they weren't buying the trial judge's position that the referendum was clearly illegal.
...to insert itself and make an exception for this particular referendum, especially if the Virginia Supreme Court says it was OK.
/end
...given that this SCOTUS has, in pervious cases, basically endorsed the notion that there are no federal constitutional prohibitions or limits on political gerrymandering and it's the Wild West out there now, it would be an incredibly brazen, cynical, and corrupt move even for *this* SCOTUS...
/2
All the issues raised in the GOP's challenge are state law issues, so there wouldn't be any jurisdictional basis for SCOTUS to hear the case. The state supreme court is the ultimate arbiter of state law.
I suppose the GOP could try to concoct some argument to get it before SCOTUS, but...
/1
Nothing in this judge's order today changes anything. He's basically just re-issuing the same order he issued before when he tried to block the referendum from happening in the first place, so now there's a "final judgment" that the VA Sup. Ct. can decide whether to uphold or reverse.
/end
...found a friendly judge to rubber-stamp their challenge to the referendum in an effort to stop it from happening, but the VA Sup. Ct. said "not so fast." We've known all along that the VA Sup. Ct. would have the ultimate say, though, on the legality of the referendum after it took place.
/3
...from happening at all, but the VA Sup. Ct. reversed him and let the referendum go forward. The VA Sup. Ct. was clear that it wasn't ruling on the ultimate legality of the referendum at that time, and said that a ruling on that issue would come at a later date.
Basically, the state GOP...
/2
The case is already before the Virginia Supreme Court, which will have the final word. We've known all along the VA Sup Ct would have to rule on this before the results of the referendum could go into effect.
Notably, though, this same judge previously tried to block the referendum...
/1
Honestly, it doesn't feel like his heart is in this. If he really thought the election was rigged or fraudulent, where's the demand for DOJ or FBI to investigate? Instead he's just like, "Oh well, maybe the courts will do something."
Feels like he's just checking a box here.
Honestly, it doesn't feel like his heart is in this. If he really thought the election was rigged or fraudulent, where's the demand for DOJ or FBI to investigate? Instead he's just like, "Oh well, maybe the courts will do something."
Feels like he's just checking a box here.
Honestly, it doesn't feel like his heart is in this. If he really thought the election was rigged or fraudulent, where's the demand for DOJ or FBI to investigate? Instead he's just like, "Oh well, maybe the courts will do something."
Feels like he's just checking a box here.
Honestly, it doesn't feel like his heart is in this. If he really thought the election was rigged or fraudulent, where's the demand for DOJ or FBI to investigate? Instead he's just like, "Oh well, maybe the courts will do something."
Feels like he's just checking a box here.
Honestly, it doesn't feel like Trump's heart is in this. If he really thought the election was rigged or fraudulent, where's the demand for DOJ or FBI to investigate? Instead he's just like, "Oh well, maybe the courts will do something."
Feels like he's just checking a box here.
Honestly, it doesn't feel like Trump's heart is in this. If he really thought the election was rigged or fraudulent, where's the demand for DOJ or FBI to investigate? Instead he's just like, "Oh well, maybe the courts will do something."
Feels like he's just checking a box here.
Honestly, it doesn't feel like his heart is in this. If he really thought the election was rigged or fraudulent, where's the demand for DOJ or FBI to investigate? Instead he's just like, "Oh well, maybe the courts will do something."
Feels like he's just checking a box here.
Honestly, it doesn't feel like his heart is in this. If he really thought the election was rigged or fraudulent, where's the demand for DOJ or FBI to investigate? Instead he's just like, "Oh well, maybe the courts will do something."
Feels like he's just checking a box here.
Without referencing Texas....or North Carolina....or Missouri....or Florida....or Tennessee (where blue Nashville is cracked into three safe GOP districts)....or Utah (where blue Salt Lake City is cracked into four safe GOP districts)....
The cities of Nashville and Salt Lake City, both heavily Democratic, were "cracked" in gerrymanders by their respective state legislatures to ensure they're represented in Congress only by Republicans.
The other hilarious part is the fact that Trump didn't lift a finger (beyond one single post on social media, I think) to help the GOP push back on the referendum. His superPAC has been raking in tribute dollars by the tens of millions, and he contributed not one cent to the effort.
Right? Like 90% of what the right derides as "woke" is just good manners and basic courtesy, and the moment you ask them to just behave like a semi-decent normal human being, they crash out.
...with the president in the middle among them (not in front) and the coaches on the ends.
/end
By the way, the three men on the right are the coaches. (I don't know who the two men on the left are.) I'm not saying the coaches shouldn't be in the picture -- they should. But not to the point of eclipsing the actual athletes.
Usually these photos put the athletes front and center...
/2
Centering the men and relegating the women to decorative background. A perfect encapsulation of the Trump White House and today's GOP.
Also a good reminder that everything they say about "defending women's sports" is BS and they'd vote to repeal Title IX in a heartbeat if given the chance.
/1
55% support for impeachment is comparable to, maybe even slightly better than, the level of public support for Trump's first impeachment. (The Ukraine one, not the Jan. 6 one. There was even more public support for impeachment after Jan. 6, but the GOP was still too gutless to take the layup.)
Usually these photos put the athletes front and center with the president in the middle among them (not in front) and the coaches on the ends.
/end
