(8 Dec 2022)
FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4409949
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Washington – 7 December 2022
1. Wide exterior of the United States Supreme Court
2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Jessica Gresko, Associated Press:
"My name is Jessica Gresko and I'm a Supreme Court reporter for the Associated Press."
3. Wide, various exteriors of US Supreme Court
4. Wide of protesters outside the Supreme Court chanting and holding signs
5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Jessica Gresko, Associated Press:
++PARTIALLY COVERED++
"This case comes to the court from North Carolina, and it comes about because of redistricting and an attempt by North Carolina's Republican led legislature to draw U.S. House districts in favor of GOP candidates. Those districts were blocked by a Democratic majority on the state Supreme Court, and the state Supreme Court said that the map drawn by Republicans had violated the state constitution. So what the state Republican lawmakers were arguing to the Supreme Court today is that North Carolina's Supreme Court doesn't have the power to do that. They say that the U.S. Constitution gives power over federal elections only to state legislatures and Congress."
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Washington – 7 October 2022
6. Various STILLS of the United States Supreme Court Justices
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Washington – 7 December 2022
7. Wide of protesters outside the Supreme Court holding signs
8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Jessica Gresko, Associated Press:
+PARTIALLY COVERED++
"Arguments at the Supreme Court in this case lasted nearly 3 hours. There were a lot of questions from both the court's six conservative members and its three liberals. But what those of us in the courtroom thought we heard was both liberal and conservative justices skeptical of making a broad ruling in this case. It sounded as though a majority of the justices weren't willing to give state legislatures virtually unchecked power in making rules for presidential and congressional elections."
9. Mid of a sign that reads "Voter Suppression Makes Democracy Fake"
10. SOUNDBITE: (English) Jessica Gresko, Associated Press:
++PARTIALLY COVERED++
"The Biden Administration's top Supreme Court Lawyer told the Justices that if Republican lawmakers arguments win it would be destabilizing, and she said that it would sew chaos on the ground because state and federal elections would have to be administered under different rules. She said that federal courts would be flooded with lawsuits often at the last minute."
STORYLINE:
The Supreme Court seems skeptical of making a broad ruling that would leave state legislatures virtually unchecked when making rules for elections for Congress and the presidency.
In nearly three hours of arguments Wednesday, liberal and conservative justices appeared to take issue with the main thrust of a challenge asking them to essentially eliminate the power of state courts to strike down legislature-drawn, gerrymandered congressional districts on grounds that they violate state constitutions.
But it was harder to see exactly where the court would land.
A trio of conservative justices who probably control the outcome, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, seemed open to simply limiting state court power in some circumstances.
However, Associated Press reporter Jessica Gresko said it appeared that a majority of the justices weren't willing to give state legislatures virtually unchecked power in making rules for presidential and congressional elections.
A decision in this case from the Supreme Court is expected next year.
Clients are reminded:
Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
