Free Republic

The “logic” behind the opinion is so asinine and juvenile that it could only come from judges. Illinois desperately wants to ensure that, within the state’s borders, only criminals have guns. When it comes to law-abiding citizens, the state will do anything to disarm them. That includes passing a law that pretty much bans “assault weapons” (a non-existent category that really covers AR-15s, America’s most popular gun) and large-capacity magazines (which really do exist). A federal district court issued an injunction against that part of the law, but a three-judge panel reversed the injunction on grounds that are so asinine...

On the face of it, Friday’s decision by the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn an injunction against enforcement of Illinois’ recently enacted ban on “assault weapons” and “large capacity” magazines doesn’t change circumstances on the ground. The three-judge panel that issued today’s decision had previously stayed U.S. District Judge Stephen McGlynn’s injunction while the state appealed, so the law has been in effect throughout litigation. Still, the 2-1 decision does matter, both because it provides an opportunity for some or all of the plaintiffs to appeal on an emergency basis to the Supreme Court and because it will...

Full title: Von Spakovsky and Phillips: Bizarre federal court ruling halts Indiana efforts to clean up voter rolls With the 2020 presidential election less than a year away, America’s voter registration rolls are woefully out of shape. Yet well-funded liberal organizations are working to stop states from cleaning up rolls. Their latest victim is Indiana. A federal district court has temporarily halted the state’s effort to compare its voter rolls with those of other states to eliminate duplicate registrations. A three-judge panel of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals went to extraordinary lengths to come up with excuses for why...

The Senate is preparing to confirm six of President Trump’s federal appeals court judges this week, including a pick that doesn’t have support from one of his home-state senators and has been Mr. Trump’s longest-pending federal appeals court nominee. Michael B. Brennan, who was tapped for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, was nominated more than 246 days ago. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, has placed him on the chamber’s agenda for a confirmation vote this week after the Senate Judiciary Committee cleared Mr. Brennan by a party-line vote. Mr. Brennan is one of six...

The top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee suggested Wednesday the Republican chairman disrespected a female senator by holding a hearing over her objection to a judicial pick from her home state. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin Democrat, had withheld her “blue slip” on the nomination of Michael Brennan, President Trump’s pick to a seat to a Wisconsin-held seat on the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Ms. Baldwin said the state’s bipartisan commission for nominating judicial nominees was ignored by the Trump White House. But Chairman Charles E. Grassley, Iowa Republican, held a hearing on Mr. Brennan on Wednesday, suggesting...

MILWAUKEE — A U.S. lawmaker's son and three Democratic campaign workers were sentenced Wednesday to four to six months in jail for slashing tires outside a Bush-Cheney campaign office on Election Day 2004. The men pleaded no contest in January to misdemeanor property damage. A fifth worker was found not guilty. "This case had to be a public example of what can happen when you interfere with voters' rights," said Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Michael Brennan, who rejected prosecutors' recommendation of probation for the four men. The Wisconsin state Republican Party had rented more than 100 vehicles to give rides...