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Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement on Wednesday, which will enable President Donald Trump to nominate someone to fill his seat. (Photo: Phil Roeder/Flickr/cc)
With Kennedy Retiring, Right-Wing Koch Brothers Ready Millions to Buy Next Supreme Court Seat
Critics slammed the plans as "one more example of big money attempt to establish a society governed by the rich"
Jun 28, 2018
After the U.S. Supreme Court this week crippled labor unions, sided with anti-choice health clinics, upheld President Donald Trump's Muslim ban, and preserved GOP gerrymandering, Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement, which will enable Trump to nominate a far-right replacement--and the billionaire Koch Brothers' political network plans to pour millions into promoting the president's choice.
Once Kennedy's departure was made public, a spokesperson for the Koch-backed group Americans for Prosperity (AFP) told NPR about plans to spend "seven figures" to support a forthcoming nominee.
As the Huffington Post noted, the Koch network--which includes the groups AFP, Freedom Partners, and Concerned Veterans for America--dropped millions on "waves of direct mail, canvassing, digital ads in a dozen states, town halls, and more than 500,000 phone calls" in support of Trump nominee Neil Gorsuch, who filled the seat left vacant by Antonin Scalia following a choice by Senate Republicans to block former President Barack Obama's efforts to appoint a justice to the position.
Sarah Field, the vice president for judicial strategy at Americans for Prosperity, told the Post the network is "impressed with the whole list" of Trump's 25 potential nominees--noting that "the president has a great record of picking judges with a fidelity to the Constitution"--and plans to back whichever candidate he ultimately chooses.
As Washington Post reporter Michelle Ye Hee Lee pointed out, the billionaire brothers has been salivating over the chance to use their vast wealth and political power to shift the court even further to the right:
While Field said, "faced with a vacancy on the highest court, we encourage President Trump to build on that success by nominating a Supreme Court Justice in the spirit of Justice Neil Gorsuch--a nominee who will respect the rule of law, interpret the Constitution as written, and not seek to advance a political agenda," adding to the court a justice who subscribes to that form of judicial interpretation would likely mean a series of victories for a far-right political agenda.
Although Kennedy has had a hand in forcing through 5-4 decisions that pleased Republicans, he also has been a key vote on cases involving reproductive and LGBTQ rights. The court cannot simply overturn past decisions without a case to weigh in on, but after Kennedy's annoucement Wednesday, critics expressed concerns about future rulings on cases pertaining to abortion, marriage equality, or affirmative action if the president can get a nominee through the Senate before the midterms.
Critics slammed the Koch network's plans to invest heavily in backing Trump's nominee as "one more example of big money attempt to establish a society governed by the rich," and declared, "This is not democracy."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
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After the U.S. Supreme Court this week crippled labor unions, sided with anti-choice health clinics, upheld President Donald Trump's Muslim ban, and preserved GOP gerrymandering, Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement, which will enable Trump to nominate a far-right replacement--and the billionaire Koch Brothers' political network plans to pour millions into promoting the president's choice.
Once Kennedy's departure was made public, a spokesperson for the Koch-backed group Americans for Prosperity (AFP) told NPR about plans to spend "seven figures" to support a forthcoming nominee.
As the Huffington Post noted, the Koch network--which includes the groups AFP, Freedom Partners, and Concerned Veterans for America--dropped millions on "waves of direct mail, canvassing, digital ads in a dozen states, town halls, and more than 500,000 phone calls" in support of Trump nominee Neil Gorsuch, who filled the seat left vacant by Antonin Scalia following a choice by Senate Republicans to block former President Barack Obama's efforts to appoint a justice to the position.
Sarah Field, the vice president for judicial strategy at Americans for Prosperity, told the Post the network is "impressed with the whole list" of Trump's 25 potential nominees--noting that "the president has a great record of picking judges with a fidelity to the Constitution"--and plans to back whichever candidate he ultimately chooses.
As Washington Post reporter Michelle Ye Hee Lee pointed out, the billionaire brothers has been salivating over the chance to use their vast wealth and political power to shift the court even further to the right:
While Field said, "faced with a vacancy on the highest court, we encourage President Trump to build on that success by nominating a Supreme Court Justice in the spirit of Justice Neil Gorsuch--a nominee who will respect the rule of law, interpret the Constitution as written, and not seek to advance a political agenda," adding to the court a justice who subscribes to that form of judicial interpretation would likely mean a series of victories for a far-right political agenda.
Although Kennedy has had a hand in forcing through 5-4 decisions that pleased Republicans, he also has been a key vote on cases involving reproductive and LGBTQ rights. The court cannot simply overturn past decisions without a case to weigh in on, but after Kennedy's annoucement Wednesday, critics expressed concerns about future rulings on cases pertaining to abortion, marriage equality, or affirmative action if the president can get a nominee through the Senate before the midterms.
Critics slammed the Koch network's plans to invest heavily in backing Trump's nominee as "one more example of big money attempt to establish a society governed by the rich," and declared, "This is not democracy."
After the U.S. Supreme Court this week crippled labor unions, sided with anti-choice health clinics, upheld President Donald Trump's Muslim ban, and preserved GOP gerrymandering, Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement, which will enable Trump to nominate a far-right replacement--and the billionaire Koch Brothers' political network plans to pour millions into promoting the president's choice.
Once Kennedy's departure was made public, a spokesperson for the Koch-backed group Americans for Prosperity (AFP) told NPR about plans to spend "seven figures" to support a forthcoming nominee.
As the Huffington Post noted, the Koch network--which includes the groups AFP, Freedom Partners, and Concerned Veterans for America--dropped millions on "waves of direct mail, canvassing, digital ads in a dozen states, town halls, and more than 500,000 phone calls" in support of Trump nominee Neil Gorsuch, who filled the seat left vacant by Antonin Scalia following a choice by Senate Republicans to block former President Barack Obama's efforts to appoint a justice to the position.
Sarah Field, the vice president for judicial strategy at Americans for Prosperity, told the Post the network is "impressed with the whole list" of Trump's 25 potential nominees--noting that "the president has a great record of picking judges with a fidelity to the Constitution"--and plans to back whichever candidate he ultimately chooses.
As Washington Post reporter Michelle Ye Hee Lee pointed out, the billionaire brothers has been salivating over the chance to use their vast wealth and political power to shift the court even further to the right:
While Field said, "faced with a vacancy on the highest court, we encourage President Trump to build on that success by nominating a Supreme Court Justice in the spirit of Justice Neil Gorsuch--a nominee who will respect the rule of law, interpret the Constitution as written, and not seek to advance a political agenda," adding to the court a justice who subscribes to that form of judicial interpretation would likely mean a series of victories for a far-right political agenda.
Although Kennedy has had a hand in forcing through 5-4 decisions that pleased Republicans, he also has been a key vote on cases involving reproductive and LGBTQ rights. The court cannot simply overturn past decisions without a case to weigh in on, but after Kennedy's annoucement Wednesday, critics expressed concerns about future rulings on cases pertaining to abortion, marriage equality, or affirmative action if the president can get a nominee through the Senate before the midterms.
Critics slammed the Koch network's plans to invest heavily in backing Trump's nominee as "one more example of big money attempt to establish a society governed by the rich," and declared, "This is not democracy."
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