Outside the Beltway

In what amounts to a significant, albeit not surprising, change in Catholic doctrine, Pope Francis has declared that the death penalty is unacceptable in all circumstances.

A Federal Judge in Washington State has, at least temporarily, blocked the release of files that would allow anyone to make a 3-D printed gun. The First Amendment seems to clearly indicate that this ruling is wrong.

One of the biggest names in Hollywood stands accused of sexual misconduct by a number of women in yet another ground-breaking report by Ronan Farrow.

The Garden State has put a hold on marijuana prosecutions in anticipation of full legalization by the end of the year.

Based on what can only be described as pure vindictiveness, the President is apparently planning on revoking security clearances of former officials who have been outspoken against the Administration and its policies.

An idiot climbed the monument, wasting police resources and ruining the day for hundreds of visitors.

With Justice Kennedy retiring, the new center of the Roberts Court is likely to be the Chief Justice himself.

What was once a rare symbol of national mourning has become so commonplace as to be meaningless.

The calls to “Abolish ICE” are spreading to potential candidates for the 2020 Democratic Presidential nomination.

After thirty years on the bench, during which he played a central role in some of the Supreme Court’s most significant rulings, Justice Anthony Kennedy is retiring.

Joe Crowley, widely considered in line to replace Nancy Pelosi as party leader in the House, has been defeated.

Donald Trump continues to demonstrate that he has nothing but utter contempt for the Rule of Law. At some point, he will either be called to account for this or our nation’s institutions will suffer as a result.

The Supreme Court has largely rejected a challenge to state and Federal redistricting maps in the State of Texas.

The president has a skewed view of who is trying to enter the US.

The 100-mile Constitution-free zone strikes again.

Melania Trump visited a detention center in Texas where children are being held by the Federal Government, but it was her choice of apparel that seemed to garner the most attention.

President Trump has reversed the family separation policy and replaced it with a family detention policy. This is likely to lead to Court challenges.

Trump’s former Campaign Manager mocked a ten-year-old girl with Down’s Syndrome who was taken away from her parents.

With two more weeks to go, there are plenty of “big” cases still awaiting the release of a decision.

Two months ago, the President called on states to send National Guard troops to the border. As expected, they’re not guarding the border.

In a significant First Amendment ruling, the Supreme Court has held that a Minnesota law barring “political apparel” at polling places is unconstitutional.

Corey Stewart may be the darling of the Trumpidians in the GOP, but he won’t be getting any help from Senate Republicans.

The Trump Administration’s new legal position on coverage for people with pre-existing conditions could pose political problems in the fall.

The Federal Government is signing on to an effort by Texas and several other states to have the DACA program declared unlawful.

The Trump Administration is declining to defend the Affordable Care Act in Court, arguing that the individual mandate is now unconstitutional because the tax penalty has been eliminated.

The Trump Administration’s School Safety Commission isn’t getting off to a very good start.

In what seems like an obvious response to the rise of the #MeToo movement and the cultural changes it has brought about, the Miss America pageant is making a major change.

In the end, it may be insurance companies that have the biggest voice in the debate over arming teachers. 

The arguments in favor of a permanent U.S./NATO base in Poland are not very convincing.

President Trump has issued another controversial pardon.

A new poll indicates that Texas Senator Ted Cruz isn’t as vulnerable as previously thought, and reminds us that Texas is still a very red state.

How far should judicial confirmation hearings go in asking potential Judges and Justices their opinions about issues that may come before them?

With one month to go in its term, there’s still a lot on the Supreme Court’s plate.

The 41st President has been hospitalized in Maine.

Alan Bean, the fourth man to walk on the Moon, has died at the age of 86

Alex Jones is finally being called on to answer for his irresponsible lying about events like the Sandy Hook shooting.

Three Executive Orders signed ahead of the Memorial Day holiday has government employees scrambling.

We have a generation of schoolkids who aren’t even surprised when there’s a shooting at their school. That’s a problem.

Former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein has been charged with rape and sexual assault in a New York Court.

The new President of the National Rifle Association has a new theory to explain mass shootings, but there’s no basis for believing it’s accurate.

In the wake of yesterday’s killing of eight in a Texas high school, WaPo’s Philip Bump provides a chilling statistic.

Another school shooting, this time in Texas.

Backing up the nation’s intelligence agencies, the Senate Intelligence Committee said in a preliminary statement that it had concluded that Russia sought to aid Donald Trump’s campaign in the 2016 Presidential election.

The Supreme Court ruled that the mere fact that the driver of a rental car is not listed on the rental agreement is not sufficient to justify a warrantless search of the vehicle.

61 percent of Americans have a favorable impression of a man who left office a failed president.

Republicans are trying to fight back against efforts to limit their ability to gerrymander Congressional and State Legislative Districts. It’s a fight they deserve to lose.

Ohio voters have approved a referendum designed to reform the manner in which district lines are drawn.

A small group of Republican rebels in the House are attempting to push legislation protecting DACA beneficiaries to a floor vote. Unfortunately, they’re not likely to succeed.

John McCain continues to bravely battle an aggressive form of brain cancer, but he’s already made clear that he doesn’t want the 45th President of the United States at his funeral.

While the Trump Administration slowly tries to remake the Federal Judiciary, states are moving to pass radical new challenges to Roe v. Wade.