#1: US Supreme Court:
The US Supreme Court announced Thursday that it will rule on a case after the summer that could rattle state election laws all over the US. The case, Moore v. Harper, concerns a North Carolina voting map created by experts after maps proposed by the Republican-led state legislature were struck down by the North Carolina Supreme Court in February. The decision was appealed by the state legislature, sending the case to the US Supreme Court. The case will be an important one as it will set a precedent for redistricting in the US, and will affect the outcome of future elections.
#2: Brittney Griner:
Brittney Griner, an American WNBA basketball star and two-time Olympic gold medalist, appeared in a Russian court on Friday. She was arrested at the Moscow airport in February for possession of cannabis oil and vaping materials. She faces 10 years in prison for the transport of illegal medications or narcotics. The State Department is hoping to retrieve her, but the Russian government says that the case is not a political one. Griner was arrested the same week Russian forces invaded Ukraine.
#3: Trump Witness Tampering:
It is alleged that former President Donald Trump’s political organization and his supporters have been paying or have promised to pay the legal fees of several witnesses summoned by the January 6 Committee’s investigation into the Capitol attack. It is suspected that the former president may be influencing testimony that could have bad outcomes for him. Cassidy Hutchinson, ex-aide to former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, told the committee in her testimony this week that she had been contacted by associates of Mark Meadows and Donald Trump, encouraging her to stay loyal to the former president.
#4: Florida Abortions:
A Florida judge blocked a state law banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy on Thursday, one in a series of court cases this week in state courts since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Judge John Cooper in Tallahassee ruled that the Florida law violates the state constitution’s privacy laws. The ban on abortion will still be in place until the judge signs paperwork on his ruling. The state said it will appeal the ruling.
#5: Police Officer Attack:
In Allen, Kentucky, at least one police officer was killed when a man with a rifle fired on police serving him a court ordered, domestic violence investigation warrant on Thursday night. Several officers were shot. Police took Lance Storz, 49, into custody. He was charged with one count of murder, two counts of attempted murder, and assault of a service animal. He pleaded not guilty.
