Correction: An earlier version of this story had misspelled Cathy Clardy Patterson's first name. (10:16 a.m. MST, Aug. 28, 2024)

New polling showed Americans believe the upcoming presidential election will have a major effect on the future of the U.S. Supreme Court and an Arizona legal expert contends the nation's foundational institutions and principles are being challenged like never before.

Cathy Clardy Patterson, council member of the advocacy group Courage for America and a lawyer, said the scandal-plagued Supreme Court finds itself at an "inflection point." She added the court's legitimacy depends on the confidence citizens have in it but noted it has been plummeting recently because of rulings by the high court.

"I've said to friends, 'I don't even know why I went to law school,' because all of the rules look like they're being skirted," Clardy Patterson explained. "There is no adherence to precedent anymore, they are taking fictitious plaintiffs, they're dealing with hypotheticals that are not before the court."

Just last month, President Joe Biden laid out his plan to reform the court, which includes an enforceable code of ethics, term limits for justices and a constitutional amendment to limit the justices' recent decision on presidential immunity.

Skeptics said it is unlikely Biden can get his proposals over the finish line with a divided Congress and with less than 150 days left in office. Clardy Patterson argued he has taken the important first step to incite change and remains hopeful.

Fewer than half of Americans have a favorable view of the court, while just over half of Americans said they have an unfavorable one, according to the Pew Research Center. While Republicans are more likely to view the conservative majority court in an approving light, Clardy Patterson urged those who have been discouraged to fight against the idea change cannot be achieved.

"If we become active, if we raise this in discussions with our friends, our neighbors, our family members and in turn we become engaged with our members of Congress, we can make a difference," Clardy Patterson contended.

Clardy Patterson emphasized everything is at stake. Data show most Republicans support Biden's proposals, but only expressed support when they did not know Biden was behind them.

"Whether it is in regard to bodily autonomy, whether it is in regard to workers' rights, the environment, there is not an issue that is not on the table," Clardy Patterson stressed. "That is why it is so critical."

Support for this reporting was provided by The Carnegie Corporation of New York.


get more stories like this via email

New York good government groups want a more robust state ethics commission.

The Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government came about in 2022 after the dissolution of the Joint Commission on Public Ethics. Watchdog groups want the agency to implement several measures to improve ethics, lobbying oversight and transparency.

Rachael Fauss, senior policy analyst for the advocacy group Reinvent Albany, said one recommendation is to have lobby reports include a lobbyist and client position on legislation.

"Right now, you don't know when you look at the lobby filings," Fauss pointed out. "What you see is that a person or a company lobbied on a bill, but you don't know if they were supporting or opposing it. We think that's crucial information for the public to have."

Other recommendations include fully electronic lobby filings and ethics disclosures, and publishing what ethics advice the commission gives to elected officials who seek it out. Fauss noted one challenge to implement changes is the commission's budget, which some feel needs to be an independent line item.

It is uncertain whether the changes can occur because the commission's constitutionality is being challenged by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. He alleges the commission is too independent and the governor should have control of the body. The New York State Supreme Court agreed and declared it unconstitutional.

Fauss noted the Court of Appeals' decision will determine its future.

"If part of the court ruling allows it to exist in its current form until an amendment can be voted on, then I think it is less disruptive," Fauss explained. "The other option is that the Legislature or governor would have to change the commission structure under that new constitutional framework."

If a new ethics commission was established through an amendment, it would not come to fruition until at least 2027 or 2028 because the state Legislature has to pass an ethics commission bill in two consecutive legislative sessions before an amendment can be put before voters. Arguments in the case will be held on Jan. 7.


get more stories like this via email

The 2024 presidential election has raised complex emotions for incarcerated Ohioans, many of whom are unable to vote but remain deeply engaged in political discussions.

As a group often left out of political discourse, their views on the election reflect a broader desire for involvement in decisions that directly affect their lives.

Nicole Lewis, engagement editor for The Marshall Project, talked about the findings of its new survey of Ohio's incarcerated population.

"Many of the people who oversee the system are elected officials, sheriffs, judges, district attorneys," Lewis observed. "and so incarcerated people have a really unique perspective on how well the people in those roles are executing their jobs."

The presidential election held particular significance this year, with concerns about criminal justice reform, sentencing policies and who can participate in elections. Despite limited news access, many voiced strong opinions about candidates, especially former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, a former prosecutor.

Lewis noted the broader implications of the political divide, especially in how those inside view figures like Trump and Harris.

"Many, many people told us, 'How can I move forward?'" Lewis reported. "'How can I believe that society would want me back if they're so willing to cast Donald Trump aside and make his felony convictions a complete disqualification for public office?'"

While people in prison in Ohio may not have had the opportunity to vote in the 2024 election, advocates said their voices and perspectives are crucial to understanding the political landscape. Their insights, shaped by years behind bars, are particularly relevant as more individuals regain the right to vote upon release and the effects of their views could shape the future of both criminal justice reform and electoral engagement nationwide.


get more stories like this via email

Wisconsinites overwhelmingly voted 'yes' on a record number of school funding measures, according to a new Wisconsin Policy Forum study. The appeals essentially asked voters to increase their own property taxes to fund school operations across the state. Voters favored a record number 169 referendums, authorizing a record total of $4.4 billion in new funding for 145 school districts.

Denise Gaumer Hutchison, Northwest regional organizer with the Wisconsin Public Education Network, said districts are being forced to take their needs to the ballot box to fund gaps between prioritizing students and overdue bills.

"The first responsibility of our public schools across the state is to educate children and to take care of the kids and the families they serve, every single day," she said. "So, that means any available funds that public schools have they put toward educating children. And so, if that means a boiler has to be patched rather than replaced, that's what they're going to do."

Almost half of the state's 421 school districts passed a referendum in April or November. Hutchison blames the state for not adequately funding school priorities, from building maintenance, to student mental-health services. The state superintendent announced last week the proposed 2025-27 budget would include $4 billion more in spending for public schools.

Despite 78% of the ballot measures passing, Hutchson said the districts where voters turned them down are in dire need of support to keep their doors open. Regardless of whether taxpayers have children in public schools, she says, the focus should be on providing every Wisconsin student with a quality education.

"I want their experience in public schools to be as awesome as my 25 and 26-year-old's were. I want them to get to be able to participate in sports, in theater, in drama and DECA, and learn about the history of our state and our country, and think about what our state and our country can be," she continued.

The study found factors like inflation outpacing the state allocated per-student revenue limits, the loss of pandemic aid and staff competition in a tight labor market are all factors that contributed to the record number of referendums.


get more stories like this via email