Free Republic

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) vented his displeasure Monday after two Democratic-appointed federal judges reversed their decisions to retire in what appear to be efforts to stop President-elect Trump from nominating their successors. McConnell called the unusual decisions to forgo retirement following Trump’s sweeping victory last month a “partisan” gambit that would undermine the integrity of federal courts. “They rolled the dice that a Democrat could replace them and now that he won’t, they’re changing their plans to keep a Republican from doing it,” McConnell said on the Senate floor. “It’s a brazen admission. And the incoming administration would...

A federal judge has rejected a Columbus bridal shop's lawsuit seeking a temporary restraining order allowing it to reopen amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The judge says state officials have legitimate reasons for restricting business operations. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine says the state's goal is to safely get as many people back to work as possible starting May first, beginning with hospitals: DeWine says large gatherings - including sporting events and concerts - will not be among the first to return because they present the most social distancing problems.

A federal judge has suspended all jury trials and grand jury proceedings for courts in the southern district of Ohio for the next 30 days out of concerns about the spread of coronavirus, according to a copy of the judge’s order. Chief District Judge Algenon Marbley issued the order Thursday, a copy of which was provided to 10 Investigates. The two-page order issued Thursday morning says “there are multiple confirmed cases of COVID-19, in response to which the Governor of the State of Ohio, Michael DeWine, has declared a state of emergency which, among other things, limits large indoor gatherings.”...

A federal judge rejected a school district's challenge to President Barack Obama's rule on transgender bathrooms on Monday, ordering a biologically male student who identifies as female be treated "like the girl she is." Judge Algenon Marbley said the Highland Local Schools in Morrow County had failed to provide a persuasive argument that giving the student access to the girls' restroom would jeopardize other students' privacy or safety. He further ordered that Highland use a female name and pronouns in referring to the 11-year-old.