Supreme Court

Last Week Was the Best Week

Last week was amazing. The Supreme Court delivered two major victories to move our country forward, the President exhibited strength and eloquence in the aftermath of a tragedy, and a young woman of unparalleled courage graced us with her presence.

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Accountability Mailer or Hit Piece?

Here comes the clutter of political advertisements. The public's least favorite time of year, when mailboxes are full of negative mailers and television ads assault the senses. First rule to remember: there is nothing that can't be said in politics, no matter how outrageous the claim.

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County Prepares for Supreme Court Ruling on Gay Marriage

If the Supreme Court rules in favor of marriage equality, Ray Hixson will assemble at a celebratory rally in Mountain View with hundreds of others. And while the LGBT community and its allies are hoping for a party, others want to head down to the Santa Clara County courthouse to apply for a marriage license. County Supervisor Ken Yeager, who’s openly gay, already asked the courthouse to prepare for an influx of same-sex couples ready to tie the knot.

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Supreme Court Ruling Spurs San Jose Pot Club Ordinance

Enforcement may soon get a lot stricter for San Jose cannabis retailers. Emboldened by the California Supreme Court’s recent ruling on City of Riverside v. Inland Empire Patients Health and Wellness Center, that reinforced municipal rights to ban medical marijuana collectives, city officials are looking at ways to crack down on local storefronts and delivery services.

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Resolution on Citizens United Case Goes to San Jose City Council

As lawmakers around the county urge Congress to create a constitutional amendment to overturn the controversial Citizens United decision, the City Council on Tuesday may vote in favor of supporting a resolution to overturn the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case. Other items on Tuesday’s agenda include lawsuit settlements, a new contract for Microsoft software and state taxes.

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The Time Is Now to End Discrimination Against Our LGBTQ Community

As the U.S. Supreme Court considers the constitutionality of California’s Proposition 8 and the federal Defense of Marriage Act, marriage equality advocates have mobilized on social media by sharing a red equality logo. In this column, local community organizer Omar Torres talks about the rights of our LGBTQ community and his own struggle to come out as a gay man to his family.

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Chuck Reed: Our Republican Mayor

Mayor Reed should come out of the closet. No, not that closet. I’m talking about the closet inhabited by local politicos who call themselves Democrats, because it suits their electoral ambitions despite plainly conservative fiscal—and social—values.

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Justice Sotomayor Delivers Inspiring Talk on the Importance of Education

The audience at the SF Commonwealth Club, in the sold out Herbst Theater, stood for a sustained ovation Monday in honor of Sonia Sotomayor. The Supreme Court Associate Justice is traveling across the country to discuss her new book, My Beloved World. Her inspiring talk touched on the importance of her schools, and it made me think of how Rocketship and other charter schools are impacting the local educational landscape.

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Juvenile Offenders Get a Second Chance

The last week of September was busy for Gov. Jerry Brown, as he signed and vetoed bill after bill. A bill that many justice advocates were watching was SB 9, called the Fair Sentencing for Youth Act and authored by San Francisco Senator Leland Yee. The bill carved out a narrow opportunity for certain adults who were convicted as juveniles—serving life sentences without the possibility of parole—to appeal for resentencing. The Governor signed the bill September 30. 

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