The United States entered Memorial Day weekend with new coronavirus cases at least five times higher than this point last year. Paxlovid, given to people testing positive to keep them from serious illness, can cause negative tests a few days later before the symptoms and positive tests return in a few days, even in vaccinated people. The DOJ has asked the 11^th Circuit Court to overturn the decision from a judge appointed by Dictator Donald Trump (DDT) to remove any mask requirements for public transportation.

A month ago, a draft of the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade was leaked to the public. Now the Supreme Court is creating its own scandal through Chief Justice John Roberts’ unprecedented order for clerks to give the Marshall private cellphones and sign affidavits. Law experts advise clerks to obtain independent counsel. According to a unanimous decision in Riley v. California (2014), warrantless searches by police are not permitted. Roberts said that cellphones “hold for many Americans the ‘privacies of life.’” Even Samuel Alito, who opposes women’s reproductive rights because the constitution does give the right to privacy, reluctantly assented. If clerks take the case to the Supreme Court, it would have to recuse themselves because its integrity is at issue.

Conservative columnist Jennifer Rubin wrote that “such heavy-handed tactics [shows] the Supreme Court has become just another D.C. workplace roiled in political finger-pointing and blame-casting.” She also pointed out “infidelities” at the court: “refusing to adopt a strict code of ethics and to recuse oneself from cases implicating a spouse’s conduct [and] deliberately misleading senators during one’s Supreme Court confirmation process by insisting, apparently with fingers crossed behind one’s back, that Roe v. Wade was settled law.” Another court failure is ruling that guilt is beside the point for prisoners on death row. Another question is why Roberts, if he wants to find the truth, doesn’t also demand private cellphones and signatures on affidavits from justices. Rubin concluded, “It’s only fair … unless, of course, this invasion of privacy is just too offensive for the justices to contemplate.

Month Disappoints Republicans | Nel’s New Day