Month: July 2024

On Monday, President Joe Biden called for major changes to the Supreme Court, including a constitutional amendment that would limit immunity for presidents, impose term limits for justices and stipulate an enforceable code of ethics.

Biden wrote in an op-ed for The Washington Post that “no one is above the law .. Not the president of the United States, not a justice on the Supreme Court of the United States. No one,” and added: “I served as a U.S. senator for 36 years, including as chairman and ranking member of the Judiciary Committee. I have overseen more Supreme Court nominations as senator, vice president and president than anyone living today. I have great respect for our institutions and separation of powers. What is happening now is not normal, and it undermines the public’s confidence in the court’s decisions, including those impacting personal freedoms. We now stand in a breach.”

Biden called for a constitutional amendment saying former presidents don’t have any immunity from federal criminal indictments, trials, convictions or sentencing: “I share our founders’ belief that the president’s power is limited, not absolute. We are a nation of laws — not of kings or dictators.”  The Supreme Court ruled in July that presidents cannot be prosecuted for “official acts” during their time in office, in a ruling stemming from a case concerning former President Donald Trump. Presidents can still be prosecuted for unofficial criminal behavior.

Biden also shared his support for Congress to create term limits for Supreme Court justices, saying he favors 18-year terms: ‘Term limits would help ensure that the court’s membership changes with some regularity, and reduce the chance that any single presidency radically alters the makeup of the court for generations to come.”  Biden also called on Congress to make the Supreme Court subject to the kind of enforceable ethics requirements imposed on other federal judges regarding gifts, political activities and financial dealings: “This is common sense ..The court’s current voluntary ethics code is weak and self-enforced.”

Vice President Kamala Harris said in a statement Monday that she supports the proposed changes because the Supreme Court faces a “clear crisis of confidence” from the American people:  “In the course of our Nation’s history, trust in the Supreme Court of the United States has been critical to achieving equal justice under law. President Biden and I strongly believe that the American people must have confidence in the Supreme Court. These popular reforms will help to restore confidence in the Court, strengthen our democracy, and ensure no one is above the law.”

Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

Police officials in Rochester, NY announced at a news conference Monday that a second person has been confirmed dead following a mass shooting at a city park in upstate New York on Sunday evening. Investigators were still trying Monday to determine what prompted the violence and who was responsible, with police sharing that multiple weapons were fired.

The deceased victims were identified as Tyasia Manning, a 25-year-old city employee, who died from her injuries on Sunday; and 34-year-old Phylicia Council who succumbed to her injuries a few hours later. In addition to the fatalities, five other people were shot, and taken to nearby hospitals. Those victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

According to Rochester Police Chief David Smith, gunfire erupted around 6:20 p.m. in Maplewood Park, where hundreds of people were gathered for a barbecue. Police said the gathering there had been advertised with flyers, and while they did not specify the occasion, the organizers were not required to obtain a permit from the city in advance. Smith said at some point during the barbecue, “rounds were fired from multiple weapons;” he called on witnesses to come forward with information: “There were hundreds of people at this barbecue, and therefore, there are hundreds of people who have potential information to help us solve this crime. Once again, I am asking our community to step up and help to hold those who shot into a crowd, killing two women, accountable for their cowardly actions.”

Rochester Police Capt. Greg Bello said he did not know what led to the shooting at Maplewood Park or if one or more shooters were involved. He said it appeared to be a peaceful day at the park where families and friends had gathered to picnic when shots ran out. Bello said that authorities are looking for one or possibly more people who left the scene at the time of the shooting: “Everyone was out barbecuing, having a good time, [when someone] decided to pull out a gun for whatever reason. Obviously, that’s incredibly unacceptable in our society.”

Rochester Mayor Malik Evans said at a press conference that before the violence, “people were in a celebratory mood, enjoying the warm weather, having a good time. Our people, our residents should be able to enjoy the summer in a park. Period. But all too often we have individuals in this community that are unmitigated cowards, that are OK with shooting women. And two of those women lost their life.”

As of press time, no suspects had been taken into custody. Police ask that anyone with information or video from the scene to call the Major Crimes Unit at 585-428-7157 or email MajorCrimes@CityofRochester.gov.

Editorial credit: Brett Welcher / Shutterstock.com