Today in the News, 3.26.09

“Thirty-one Republican senators voted against [Elena Kagan’s] nomination as solicitor general. That could tempt Obama to ignore the minority’s views when it comes to picking a Supreme Court justice.” The editors of the LA Times reflect upon the Kagan confirmation progress, and remind Senate Republicans that “bipartisanship is a two-way street.”

“The overwhelming, bipartisan decision to reauthorize the [Voting Rights Act], which drew support from covered and noncovered jurisdictions alike, should be upheld by this Court under any standard.” SCOTUSBlog reports that the current and former bipartisan leaders of the House Committee on the Judiciary and its Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties — virtually all of whom were active in the 2006 reauthorization of the critical “pre-clearance” provision of the Voting Rights Act — have filed an amicus brief in support of the United States in the current Supreme Court case Northwest Austin Municipal Utlity District No. 1 v. Holder. Yesterday, CAC also filed an amicus brief in support of the United States, arguing that the Framers sought to endow Congress with the power to uphold the Reconstruction Amendments’ guarantees against racial discrimination in voting through “appropriate legislation” – such as the Voting Rights Act.

“If the justices condone this travesty, they will be letting the well-heeled place their ingots of gold on justice’s scale.” The editors of the Boston Globe weigh in on Caperton v. Massey Coal, noting that Massachusetts is in a minority because its governors appoint state judges.