Free Republic

Ohio’s 2023 election integrity law requiring residents to present a form of ID when casting their ballots is constitutional, a federal court ruled on Monday. Writing for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Judge Donald Nugent, a Clinton appointee, ruled that Democrat-backed groups provided no evidence to justify their claims that HB 458 places an undue “burden” on Ohioans and their ability to vote. Specifically, plaintiffs — a coalition of left-leaning groups like the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, the Ohio Federation of Teachers, the Ohio Alliance for Retired Americans, the Union Veterans Council, and...

In Ciraci v. J.M. Smucker Company, (6th Cir., March 14, 2023), the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals held that employees of a company that sells food products to the federal government may not assert a 1st Amendment free-exercise claim against the company for denying them a religious exemption from a COVID vaccine mandate imposed by the company after the federal government required government contractors to do so. The court said in part: Constitutional guarantees conventionally apply only to entities that exercise sovereign power, such as federal, state, or local governments.... Smucker’s may be a big company. But it is...

The Obama administration targeted sole proprietors and small businesses in the real estate industry after the crash of 2008, while letting the big banks off the hook with bailouts. One of most horrific cases involved Republican real estate broker Tony Viola, who served nine and a half years in prison as a juicy target of Ohio Democratic prosecutor Dan Kasaris. He was convicted of supposedly tricking banks into offering mortgages with no money down. But in reality, the banks were knowingly offering those loans — evidence the prosecution withheld from him. Viola only got out of prison due to an...

This will be a weekly post. Count is now 222 judges confirmed 2 Trade Court judges 164 District Court judges 53 Circuit Court judges 3 Supreme Court justices Yesterday President Trump nominated Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach to fill the vacancy on the 1st Circuit. If confirmed, along with Thomas Kirsch to fill the 7th Circuit vacancy, Trump will have 55 Circuit judges confirmed in less than four years, matching Obama's 55 in EIGHT years. This week ancient Senator Dianne Feinstein begged Lindsay Graham to halt confirming judges. He basically told her to pound sand. There are currently 53 vacancies on the...

This will be a weekly post. Count remains at 218 judges confirmed. 2 Trade Court judges 161 District Court judges 53 Circuit Court judges 2 Supreme Court justices Senator McConnell did file for cloture for several judges this week, but with at least two senators testing positive for coronavirus those votes will likely be put off. The democrats are trying to use the president's diagnosis to delay the confirmation of judge Amy Coney Barrett to be Supreme Court justice. But Chairman Graham can simply move the hearings to Zoom (and should). Judiciary Committee members Lee and Tillis both tested positive...

The subprime mortgage crisis of 2008 resulted in a lot of banks getting bailed out, instead of being held responsible. In place of the banks, the Obama administration, led by Attorney General Eric Holder and then-FBI Director Robert Mueller, looked for easy, juicy targets. Mortgage brokers and real estate agents fit the mold. They were generally small, didn’t have a lot of connections with the government or the courts, and the public was looking for someone to blame for the decreasing home prices and skyrocketing foreclosures.  “Operation Stolen Dreams” was set up in various large cities to go after them. In...