Closing summary
It is 4pm in Washington DC. Here is a wrap-up of the day’s key events:
India’s prime minister Narendra Modi was at the White House for his bilateral meeting today with Joe Biden. Modi was met with a series of performances and ceremonies on the White House lawn and the two leaders proceeded to discuss press freedom, trade, technological advancements, as well as the Russia-Ukraine war.
Former US president Barack Obama has addressed Modi’s visit to the United States in a new interview with CNN, saying, “The protection of Muslim minorities in a majority Hindu India, that’s something worth mentioning.” “I do think it is appropriate for the president of the United States…to challenge, whether behind closed doors or in public, trends that are troubling…” he said.
New York representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez announced in a statement late Wednesday that she will “boycott” a joint address to Congress from Modi. “I will be boycotting Prime Minister Modi’s address to Congress tomorrow, and encourage my colleagues who stand for pluralism, tolerance, and freedom of the press to join me in doing the same,” said Ocasio-Cortez’s statement, shared to Twitter.
Bernie Sanders has also joined several Democratic lawmakers in their condemnation of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi over his human rights abuse allegations. “Prime Minister Modi’s government has cracked down on the press and civil society, jailed political opponents, and pushed an aggressive Hindu nationalism that leaves little space for India’s religious minorities,” Sanders wrote in a tweet.
During a press conference with Modi, a reporter asked Biden about comments he made calling China president Xi Jinping a “dictator” and if such remarks complicate progress that the Biden administration has made on maintaining a relationship with China. “The answer to your first question is no,” said Biden.
Human rights group Amnesty International has publicly criticized Modi’s visit to the White House, calling on the Biden administration to address “grave human rights issues” in the US and India. Amnesty International called out increasing violence against religion minorities in India during Modi’s tenure, as well as “criminalization of dissent”.
The two individuals who guaranteed bail for New York’s Republican congressman George Santos has ben identified as his father and aunt. The Guardian’s Martin Pengelly reports: “The revelation that Gercino dos Santos Jr and Elma Preven were the people behind Santos’ bail solves a running mystery that had fascinated Washington-watchers and also a wider American public obsessed with the travails of a politician famous for playing fast and loose with the truth.”
Georgia’s far-right representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has explained why she called Colorado’s equally far-right representative Lauren Boebert “a little b****” yesterday in Congress. “It’s purely for fundraising… It’s throwing out red meat so that people will donate to her campaign because she’s coming up on the end of the month, and she’s trying to produce good fundraising numbers,” Greene told Semafor.
That’s it from me, Maya Yang, as we wrap up the blog for today. Thank you for following along.
You can read our latest full report here:
Updated
For a quick refresher on all the 16 candidates currently vying for the presidential office, here is our latest guide to all contenders, ranging from Ron DeSantis to Cornel West:
Currently, 12 candidates are running for the GOP nomination while 2 Democrats – Robert F Kennedy Jr and Marianne Williamson, are looking to unseat Joe Biden.
Meanwhile, progressive activist Cornel West has announced that he is running for office as a member of the People’s party, a third party.
Georgia’s far-right representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has explained why she called Colorado’s equally far-right representative Lauren Boebert “a little b****” yesterday in Congress.
Speaking to Semafor, Greene explained the verbal altercation between the two lawmakers yesterday which erupted over both their efforts to impeach the president.
“I was sitting down, and so I stood up and I said, ‘I’m happy to clarify my public statements to your face… I told her exactly what I think about her,” Greene said, referring to public comments she made yesterday about Boebert whom she said “basically copied my articles” in her own separate privileged resolution (which would bypass House Republican leadership and instead head straight to the floor for voting).
“It’s purely for fundraising… It’s throwing out red meat so that people will donate to her campaign because she’s coming up on the end of the month, and she’s trying to produce good fundraising numbers,” Greene added.
Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert appear to be arguing with each other while being ordered to leave the House floor. pic.twitter.com/RnDVCuh7Dh
— No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@NoLieWithBTC) June 21, 2023
Donald Trump’s efforts at obtaining a new trial in the civil case involving writer E. Jean Carroll is “magical thinking,” Carroll’s lawyers said on Thursday.
Reuters reports:
Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presential nomination, on June 8 asked for a new trial after the jury awarded Carroll $5 million, saying the damages were excessive because the jury did not find she was raped and because the alleged conduct did not cause her a diagnosed mental injury.
In court papers filed Thursday in opposition to Trump’s request, Carroll’s lawyers maintained that the attack has harmed her ability to have romantic and sexual relationships, and she has suffered intrusive memories.
They pointed to a psychologist’s testimony at trial that Carroll had some symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
“Trump’s motion is nothing more than his latest effort to obfuscate the import of the jury’s verdict by engaging in his own particular Trump-branded form of magical thinking,” her lawyers wrote.
Trump’s lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
For the full story, click here:
Several progressive lawmakers have released a joint statement to announce they will boycott Modi’s joint address to Congress.
Missouri representative Cori Bush; Michigan representative Rashida Tlaib; Minnesota represetatiev Ilhan Omar; and New York representative Jamaal Bowman shared the statement on Thursday.
They will be joining other legislators, including New York representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who are not attending Modi’s address in light of human right abuses in India.
Read the joint statement below:
When it comes to standing up for human rights, actions speak louder than words. By bestowing Prime Minister Modi with the rare honor of a joint address, Congress undermines its ability to be a credible advocate for the rights of religious minorities and journalists around the world.
Modi has a notorious and extensive record of human rights abuses. He was complicit in the 2002 Gujarat riots that killed over 1,000 people, leading to the revocation of his U.S. visa. His government has openly targeted Muslims and other religious minorities, enabled Hindu nationalist violence, undermined democracy, targeted journalists and dissidents, and suppressed criticism using authoritarian tactics like Internet shutdowns and censorship.
It is shameful to honor these abuses by allowing Modi to address a joint session of Congress. We refuse to participate in it and will be boycotting the joint address. We stand in solidarity with the communities that have been harmed by Modi and his policies. We must never sacrifice human rights at the altar of political expediency and we urge all Members of Congress who profess to stand for freedom and democracy to join us in boycotting this embarrassing spectacle.
George Santos's father and aunt identified as bail guarantors
The two individuals who guaranteed bail for New York’s Republican congressman George Santos has ben identified as his father and aunt.
The Guardian’s Martin Pengelly reports:
The revelation that Gercino dos Santos Jr and Elma Preven were the people behind Santos’ bail solves a running mystery that had fascinated Washington-watchers and also a wider American public obsessed with the travails of a politician famous for playing fast and loose with the truth.
Santos had tried to stop the legal process of them being named, arguing disclosure could threaten the guarantors’ safety amid a “media frenzy” and “hateful attacks”.
Santos’s lawyer had also said that his client would rather go to jail himself than have his guarantors unmasked. But Santos seemed to have backed off that wish by not asking to change the conditions of his bail after a federal judge in New York dismissed his appeal to keep the names sealed.
Media organisations and the House ethics committee had asked that the names be revealed.
Santos, 34, won election in New York last year, in a district covering parts of Long Island and Queens. He has been dogged by controversy and calls to resign. His résumé has been shown to be largely made-up and past behavior – sometimes allegedly criminal, other times bizarrely picaresque – widely reported.
Santos has admitted to embellishing his résumé but denies wrongdoing. In court in May, he pleaded not guilty to all charges.
For the full story, click here:
Biden and Modi have wrapped up their joint press conference, where they discussed a range of issues including climate change and democracy.
Here is an update from Mary Yang for the Guardian with updates on what the two world leaders discussed.
Updated
Another reporter asked Biden about criticisms that the US is not implementing solutions to climate change or transferring technologies to developing nations that would address warming.
Both countries have agreed to work on tackling climate change as apart of the G20 forum.
Here is an explainer on progress made during the last summit in November 2022.
Biden denies calling Xi Jinping a 'dictator' hampers efforts to thaw US-China relations
A reporter asked Biden about comments he made calling China president Xi Jinping a “dictator” and if such remarks complicate progress that the Biden administration has made on maintaining a relationship with China.
“The answer to your first question is no,” said Biden, adding that he expects to be meeting with Jinping soon and that State Secretary Antony Blinken had a productive trip to the country recently.
Biden was also asked about criticisms he faces about overlooking human rights violations in India, including the targeting of religious minorities and dissent.
Biden added: “The prime minister and I had a good discussion about democratic values. That’s the nature of our relationship, we’re straight forward with each other and we respect each other.”
Biden noted that both India and US are democracies, compared to China.
Updated
Biden says both US and India 'cherish freedom' and human rights
Biden also mentioned press freedom in his opening statement, saying that both countries “cherish freedom and celebrate the democratic values of universal human rights which face challenges around the world and in each of our countries.”
“Press freedom, religious freedom, tolerance, diversity…India now is the most populous country in the world… The backbone of our people…and talents and traditions make us strong as nations,” said Biden.
“The friendship between our nations is only going to grow as we face a future together,” he added.
Updated
In Joe Biden’s opening statement, the president talked about a series of topics discussed with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, including technological advancements such as semi-conductor supply chains, telecommunication networks, and growing major defense partnerships with further joint exercises.
Biden also talked about the expansion of educational opportunities for Indian students and to build “on the record of 125,000 student visas for Indians to study in the United States.”
The Ukraine-Russia was was also discussed, with Biden saying, “We talked about our shared efforts to mitigate humanitarian tragedies unleashed by Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine and to defend core principles of the UN charter.”
Updated
Joe Biden and Narendra Modi have started their press conference.
Barack Obama suggests Biden should raise protecting religious freedom with Modi
Former US president Barack Obama has addressed Modi’s visit to the United States in a new interview with CNN, saying, “The protection of Muslim minorities in a majority Hindu India, that’s something worth mentioning.”
Speaking to CNN host Christiane Amanpour, Obama said:
“I do think it is appropriate for the president of the United States…to challenge, whether behind closed doors or in public, trends that are troubling…
If the president meets with prime minister Modi, then the protection of Muslim minorities in a majority Hindu India, that’s something worth mentioning... If I had a conversation with prime minister Modi…part of my argument would be if you don’t protect the rights of ethnic minorities in India, there’s a strong possibility India starts pulling apart.”
44 on Modi-Biden: "the protection of Muslim minorities in a majority Hindu India, that's something worth mentioning. If I had a convo w/ PM Modi, part of my argument would be if you don't protect the rights of minorities, there's a strong possibility India starts pulling apart" https://t.co/jbECpeOejQ
— Gerry Shih (@gerryshih) June 22, 2023
Updated
As we wait for the press conference with Biden and Modi, here is the Committee to Protect Journalists’ statement urging India to stop its media crackdowns and to release detained journalists.
“Press freedom is under attack in India,” said CPJ, adding, “India is the world’s largest democracy, yet it is one of the world’s most dangerous countries for the media…
Leaders around the world who value democracy must urger those in power in India to stop the threats against journalists there. Democracy depends on a free press.”
Press freedom is under attack in India.
— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) June 21, 2023
Yesterday, Indian PM Narenda Modi arrived in the U.S. to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden.
Today, the @wppressfreedom urges India to end its media crackdown & release the 6 journalists arbitrarily detained in retaliation for their work.… pic.twitter.com/LPEga8ad6C
CPJ’s president Jodie Ginsberg also issued a statement, saying, “Since Modi assumed power in 2014, there has been an increasing crackdown on India’s media...
India is the world’s largest democracy and it needs to live up to that by ensuring a free and independent media – and we expect the United States to make this a core element of discussions.”
“Since Prime Minister Modi came to power in 2014, there has been an increasing crackdown on India’s media,” said CPJ President @jodieginsberg ahead of his visit to the U.S.
— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) June 21, 2023
“Journalists critical of the government and the BJP party have been jailed, harassed, and surveilled in… pic.twitter.com/3ezuJDzRb3
Biden and Modi to hold press conference shortly
US president Joe Biden and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi are scheduled to host a press conference soon.
We will be bringing you the latest updates.
Updated
Here is video of the pomp and circumstance surrounding US president Joe Biden’s welcome of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi to the White House today:
Bernie Sanders condemns Modi over human rights abuse claims
Bernie Sanders has also joined several Democratic lawmakers in their condemnation of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi over his human rights abuse allegations.
“Prime Minister Modi’s government has cracked down on the press and civil society, jailed political opponents, and pushed an aggressive Hindu nationalism that leaves little space for India’s religious minorities,” Sanders wrote in a tweet.
He went on to push US president Joe Biden to address these issues with Modi.
Prime Minister Modi's government has cracked down on the press and civil society, jailed political opponents, and pushed an aggressive Hindu nationalism that leaves little space for India's religious minorities. President Biden should raise these facts in his meeting with Modi.
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) June 21, 2023
Updated
Biden made a ‘thumbs up’ gesture when asked by reporters about how Hunter Biden is feeling, days after news broke that Biden will be pleading guilty to misdemeanor tax crimes and a federal firearm charge.
From CBS News’ Kathryn Watson:
President Biden gave a thumbs up to reporters when asked how Hunter is feeling, per pool
— Kathryn Watson (@kathrynw5) June 22, 2023
The White House press office has released the following details on president Joe Biden and prime minister Narendra Modi’s meeting today:
The president, in a navy suit, and the prime minister, in traditional Indian tunic and trousers and a blue pullover, entered the Oval Office at 10:50 after walking down the West Wing colonnade.
Pool was led in at 10:53, and the two were seated.
Biden, reading from a large note card, spoke about his first visit with Modi 10 years ago as vice president, when he said that India and the United States would have to build a relationship small step by small step.
“Over the past 10 years, those small steps have transformed into large progress,” he said, pausing periodically so an interpreter could translate into Hindi.
“I look forward to discussing how we can strengthen our partnership and build a future together worthy of both our peoples, one grounded on democracy, human rights, freedom and the rule of law.”
Modi, reading in Hindi from notes from a two-ring binder, again thanked Biden for the invitation. An interpreter translated into English.
“In today’s rapidly changing global situation, all eyes are on the two largest democracies in the world: America and India.”
The pool was escorted out at 11:03.
The White House has not explicitly said whether it will discuss the imprisonment of Vivek Raghuvanshi, a freelance journalist for Defense News who was jailed last month by Indian authorities.
In May, Raghuvanshi was arrested by India’s Central Bureau of Investigation under espionage charges, Defense News reports.
His arrest prompted swift condemnation from Sightline Media Group, the publisher of Defense News, as well as the National Press Club.
In a statement released on 17 May, the NPC said:
“The charges against him of working with a foreign intelligence service are completely at odds with his well-established professional profile. Vivek has a solid reputation and the respect of his colleagues.”
Despite White House officials saying that press freedom will be one of the topics discussed between Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and US president Joe Biden, they have not specified whether Raghuvanshi’s imprisonment will be discussed exclusively.
Instead, White House officials only aid that a “full range of issues will be on the table” when asked whether his imprisonment will be among the topics, according to Defense News.
Updated
Amnesty International criticizes Modi visit
Human rights group Amnesty International has publicly criticized Modi’s visit to the White House, calling on the Biden administration to address “grave human rights issues” in the US and India.
Amnesty International called out increasing violence against religion minorities in India during Modi’s tenure, as well as “criminalization of dissent”.
The organization also criticized vitriol against LGBTQ+ communities in the US, a roll back of reproductive rights, and “a political climate informed by structural racism and socio-economic injustice”.
From Amnesty International:
The United States and Indian governments must address the grave human rights issues in both countries during Prime Minister Modi’s meeting with President Biden in Washington DC 👉 https://t.co/SSjubum93I
— Amnesty International (@amnesty) June 22, 2023
Prime Minister Modi has presided over a period of rapid deterioration of human rights protections in India, including increasing violence against religious minorities, shrinking civil society space, and the criminalization of dissent.
— Amnesty International (@amnesty) June 22, 2023
Meanwhile, President Biden’s time in office has been concurrent to a devastating period of backsliding on reproductive rights and increases in vitriolic anti-LGBTQI+ attacks at the state level, all in a political climate informed by structural racism and socio-economic injustice.
— Amnesty International (@amnesty) June 22, 2023
As President Biden raises human rights threats in India, he must also be prepared to address the threats to human rights in the US and look to examples from other countries, including India, where constitutional courts have extended human rights protections.
— Amnesty International (@amnesty) June 22, 2023
Updated
Several progressive legislators say they will be boycotting Modi’s speech to Congress this afternoon.
New York representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez announced in a statement late Wednesday that she will “boycott” a joint address to Congress from Modi.
“I will be boycotting Prime Minister Modi’s address to Congress tomorrow, and encourage my colleagues who stand for pluralism, tolerance, and freedom of the press to join me in doing the same,” said Ocasio-Cortez’s statement, shared to Twitter.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will boycott Prime Minister Modi's joint address to Congress. pic.twitter.com/DICpt7StvF
— Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@RepAOC) June 21, 2023
Ocasio-Cortez went on to call out Modi’s faltering record on human rights, including his failure to obtain a visa in 2005 because of violating religious freedom and India’s poor standing on the World Press Freedom Index.
Other lawmakers have stated that they will not be attending Modi’s address, including Minnesota representative Ilhan Omar and Michigan representative Rashida Tlaib.
Omar and Tlaib announced that they would be boycotting Modi’s remarks days before Ocasio-Cortez’s statement, the Hill reported.
Amid controversy at the arrival of Modi to the White House, officials say that thousands stood on the South Lawn to welcome India’s prime minister.
According to the White House, there were 7,000 guests as Modi officially arrived.
BIG: The White House says it had approximately 7,000 guests on the South Lawn this morning for the official arrival of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
— Ed O'Keefe (@edokeefe) June 22, 2023
While Biden is rolling out the red carpet, Modi’s state visit has proved controversial.
Human rights advocates have criticized Modi and his party, the BJP, for fueling the rise of violence associated with Hindu nationalism and discriminating against India’s Muslim minority.
And dozens of lawmakers urged Biden to address the issue of human rights with Modi, asking the president to “raise directly with Prime Minister Modi areas of concern” in his private meeting, including credible reports of “shrinking of political space, the rise of religious intolerance, the targeting of civil society organizations and journalists, and growing restrictions on press freedoms and internet access” in India.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Biden will raise his concerns but will avoid lecturing Modi during their formal talks.
AP quotes him as saying:
The question of where politics and the question of democratic institutions go in India is going to be determined within India by Indians. It’s not going to be determined by the United States. So what we can do is our part, and our part is to speak out on behalf of universal values.”
Here are some of the images from the welcome Modi was given at the White House:
Thousands of people gathered on the White House South Lawn for the formal welcoming ceremony, listening to performances by violinist Vibha Janakiraman and the a cappella group Penn Masala, the AP reports.
As Modi arrived, the crowd — including many sari and shalwar kameez-clad members of the Indian diaspora — broke out in a chant of “Modi! Modi Modi.”
In a welcome address held on a red carpeted stage, Biden said:
I’ve long believed the relationship between the United States and India... will be one of the defining relationships of the 21st century.
“Since I’ve become president, we’ve continued to build a relationship built on mutual trust, candor and respect.”
Revealed: India secretly works to preserve reputation after ‘flawed democracy’ rating
The Indian government has been secretly working to keep its reputation as the “world’s largest democracy” alive after being called out by researchers for serious democratic backsliding under the nationalist rule of Narendra Modi, according to internal reports seen by the Guardian.
Despite publicly dismissing several global rankings that suggest the country is on a dangerous downward trajectory, officials from government ministries have been quietly assigned to monitor India’s performance, minutes from meetings show.
News of the meetings comes as Modi makes a state visit to the US to hold talks with President Joe Biden and speak to Congress.
Here’s our full exclusive report:
Updated
Biden meets with Modi at White House
India’s prime minister Narendra Modi has arrived at the White House for his bilateral meeting today with Joe Biden.
The two leaders greeted each other warmly, and made short remarks ahead of their discussions, which are expected to include Russia’s war in Ukraine and the rising global influence of China.
We’ll hear from them in more detail at a scheduled lunchtime press conference.
Photograph: Win McNamee/Getty Images
It’s the second day of the Indian leader’s first official state visit. But it is marked with controversy as many call for the president to address India’s continuing crackdown on religious and press freedoms.
Read more:
Supreme court decisions number three and four, the last of the day, are also just released. None of today’s rulings are among the “blockbuster” cases still to be decided.
More opinions will be released tomorrow morning at 10am ET. There are 14 left to come in the current “decisions session” that ends next week.
The final two today are Yegiazaryan v Smagin, a case over a Russian citizen suffering “intangible property damage” and Jones v Hendrix, a wrangle over a former federal prisoner and gun rights. Both are 6-3 rulings.
Hoping for more significant rulings tomorrow over LBGTQ+ rights, voting rights, affirmative action in college admissions, and challenges to Joe Biden’s student debt relief program.
Next up from the supreme court is the case of Pugin v Garland, relating to obstruction of justice and immigration cases.
Essentially, the panel has ruled that a criminal offense that does not interfere with an existing investigation or judicial proceeding, for example (according to Scotusblog’s Amy Howe) being an accessory after the fact, or discouraging a witness from reporting a crime, does qualify as an “offense relating to obstruction of justice,” a serious crime that can result in deportation and additional criminal punishment for noncitizens.
It’s another opinion written by Brett Kavanaugh. The 6-3 ruling is the second today in which a justice has switched sides from traditional ideology, Ketanji Brown Jackson siding with the conservative majority.
Here’s the ruling on this one.
The supreme court’s first decision today has just dropped, it’s the case of Arizona v Navajo nation, not considered among the most major cases yet to be resolved (although they are all consequential).
It’s a 5-4 ruling, written by justice Brett Kavanaugh, that holds the federal government is not obligated to specifically assess the Navajo nation’s water needs when regulating access to a main stem of the Colorado river. The tribe had wanted affirmative steps in its favor.
Conservative justice Neil Gorsuch joined the liberal members of the panel, Sonia Sotomayor, Ketanji Brown Jackson and Elena Kagan in dissent.
Here’s the link to the ruling.
We have new details today about how early prosecutors were on Donald Trump’s case following the discovery of classified documents at his Florida home last summer. The Guardian’s Hugo Lowell writes:
Federal prosecutors investigating Donald Trump’s retention of national security material were examining evidence within weeks of the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago last year that he might have handled classified documents at his Bedminster club in New Jersey, according to two people close to the matter.
The indications of classified documents at Bedminster so alarmed prosecutors that they focused part of the investigation on whether Trump might have transported the materials or disclosed their contents there in addition to refusing to return them to the government, the people said.
Trump was charged this month with retaining national defense information and obstruction of justice, in an indictment that also notably alleged that Trump discussed a military plan to attack Iran and waved a classified map of Afghanistan in front of a staffer in 2021 at the New Jersey property.
Trump was charged this month with retaining national defense information and obstruction of justice, in an indictment that also notably alleged that Trump discussed a military plan to attack Iran and waved a classified map of Afghanistan in front of a staffer in 2021 at the New Jersey property.
Read the full story:
Republican Hurd enters 2024 race
The Republican former Texas congressman Will Hurd has entered an already crowded field for his party’s 2024 presidential nomination, immediately going after frontrunner Donald Trump as a “lawless, selfish, failed politician”.
Hurd served three terms in congress, his final two years until he stood down in 2021 as the only Black Republican in the chamber. The 45-year-old former CIA officer was among his party’s most vocal Trump critics, voting with Democrats to end a government shutdown orchestrated by the Trump administration in 2019.
The former president wasted no time weighing in, a statement from his campaign branding Hurd a “never-Trumper” weak on immigration and crime.
Hurd alluded to Trump’s legal troubles, including indictments in Florida and New York, in his own launch statement:
If we nominate a lawless, selfish, failed politician like Donald Trump - who lost the House, the Senate and the White House - we all know Joe Biden will win again.
Read the story here:
Student debt relief, LGBTQ+ rights and affirmative action decisions could come today
Challenges to Joe Biden’s student debt relief program, and decisions over voting and LGBTQ+ rights, and college admissions procedures, could be among supreme court rulings expected to drop this morning.
The panel has announced that today and Friday will both be “decision days” as their current session rolls towards a close by the end of this month. We’ve seen a few blockbusters already this term, including last week’s surprise ruling protecting Native Americans’ rights over the adoption of children.
According to veteran supreme court watcher Amy Howe, there are 18 cases still outstanding, and we’re expecting to start hearing about some of them at 10am ET.
Two of them, Biden v Nebraska, and Department of Education v Brown, relate to the president’s plans for relief from student loans. In the first, six Republican-led states are challenging the Biden administration’s right to write off student debt.
303 Creative v Elenis is a case covering a company’s right to refuse to design wedding websites for same-sex couples; and Moore v Harper is a case from North Carolina covering a state’s authority to regulate federal elections without interference from the courts.
While the cases are certainly consequential, there’s at least equal interest in the latest ethics scandal sweeping the supreme court, with conservative justice Samuel Alito at the center of a storm over accepting free gifts from a billionaire that he later failed to disclose.
That, and ongoing controversies over justice Clarence Thomas’s conduct, have worked to erode public confidence in the supreme court.
We’ll bring you today’s decisions as they drop. While we wait, here’s Guardian columnist Margaret Sullivan’s take on the Alito scandal:
Updated
Good morning politics blog readers, welcome to a busy Thursday. Justices at the supreme court are on the final lap of their current decisions season, with fewer than two dozen rulings yet to drop in the session ending this month.
We don’t yet know which cases will be among today’s batch, which are expected to start filtering through at 10am ET. But among the “blockbusters” still outstanding are challenges to Joe Biden’s student loan relief program, and rulings on LGBTQ+ rights and the role of race in college admissions procedures.
Adding spice to all this: the ongoing ethics scandal involving justice Samuel Alito, and his taking of undeclared gifts from a billionaire.
We’ll bring you news from the supreme court as we get it.
Here’s what else we’re watching today:
Indian’s prime minister Narendra Modi has a big day in Washington DC, meeting Biden at the White House this morning and addressing a joint session of congress this afternoon. The day also has big significance for the president as he woos a potential ally in resisting both Russia’s war in Ukraine China’s rising global influence. We’ll hear from both leaders at a lunchtime press conference.
There’s fallout from a sloppy day in the House, in which Republicans voted to censure California Democrat Adam Schiff for leading investigations into Donald Trump; and rightwingers Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene were at each other’s throats over efforts to impeach Biden.
Trump’s lawyers have received the first batch of evidence against him from the justice department after his indictment for illegally retaining classified documents. It comes as the Guardian reveals new details of the timeline of federal prosecutors’ investigations of the former president.
We’ll have all that, and more, coming up. Please stick with us.
