Supreme Court won’t revive lawsuit over DOJ school board memo
The Supreme Court won’t revive a lawsuit from parents in Michigan and Virginia who sued Attorney General Merrick Garland after he directed federal authorities to address threats against school board members and educators at public schools nationwide.
The lawsuit, filed in October 2021 by the conservative American Freedom Law Center (AFLC) on behalf of Loudoun County, Va., and Saline, Mich. parents, accused Garland of using federal law enforcement resources to “silence” parents who openly oppose “progressive” policies in public schools.
The parents asked the Supreme Court to determine whether they have standing to challenge Garland’s directive, which they said created a “chilling effect on their right to freedom of speech and reputational harm.” On Monday, the justices declined.
A memorandum Garland issued to the FBI and U.S. attorneys in early October 2021 spurred the parents’ lawsuit. In the memo, Garland noted a “disturbing” spike in threats to school administrators, board members, teachers and staff, and urged law enforcement to address the matter.
“While spirited debate about policy matters is protected under our Constitution, that protection does not extend to threats of violence or efforts to intimidate individuals based on their views,” Garland wrote.
Though the memo does not mention “parents” or suggest they are at fault, the coalition of Virginia and Michigan parents said in court filings they were the “intended targets” of Garland’s directive.
“The Attorney General has pejoratively designated these parents as ‘threats’ and ‘domestic terrorists,’ deeming them worthy of investigation and surveillance by the federal government,” AFLC lawyers Robert Muise and David Yerushalmi wrote in the parents’ petition to the Supreme Court.
A Trump-appointed federal judge dismissed the lawsuit on standing in 2022, ruling that Garland’s request did not impose regulations, requirements or enforcement actions on anyone, “much less the plaintiffs.”
“Further, even if the alleged policy contained any kind of restriction, regulation, or proscription, it would not apply to the plaintiffs’ conduct,” U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich wrote in his 10-page ruling. “The plaintiffs represent that their conduct includes verbal opposition and peaceful protests, akin to ‘private citizens petitioning their government officials for a redress of grievances,’ but never ‘threat[s] of criminal violence.'”
A federal appeals court affirmed the district court’s ruling last year.
Date: |
-
Politics - The Hill
Supreme Court won’t weigh Michigan ban on state funding for private schools
The Supreme Court will not weigh whether Michigan’s ban on public dollars for private schools can stand, allowing a decades-old amendment to the state’s constitution to remain intact. Five ...2 hours ago -
Politics - NBC News
The Supreme Court is being increasingly influenced by this conservative law school
The University of Notre Dame’s law school is an institution increasingly exerting conservative influence on the Supreme Court.Yesterday -
Politics - The Hill
Supreme Court won’t take up challenge to Jack Smith’s Trump Twitter data access
The Supreme Court on Monday declined to take up a challenge by social platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to court rulings that forced the platform to turn over data on former President Trump’s ...2 hours ago - Donald Trump -
Politics - The Hill
Supreme Court won’t hear Pennsylvania legislators' challenge to executive actions expanding voting access
The Supreme Court decided Monday that it won’t take up a case to restore a lawsuit by Pennsylvania Republicans that challenged executive actions expanding voting access on the basis that only state ...2 hours ago -
Top stories - CBS News
Supreme Court won't decide Texas dispute over emergency abortions
In turning away the case, the Supreme Court leaves in place a lower court order that blocked emergency abortion care if it violates Texas' near-total ban.1 hour ago - Abortion -
Top stories - NBC News
Supreme Court turns away Elon Musk's X appeal over Trump criminal investigation
The Supreme Court rejected an appeal by Elon Musk's social media company X, declining to decide whether prosecutors should have obtained data from Trump's Twitter account without him being notified.2 hours ago - Donald Trump -
Top stories - ABC News
Supreme Court won't hear appeal from Elon Musk’s X platform over warrant in Trump case
Prosecutors got search warrant in the election-interference case against Trump.1 hour ago - Donald Trump -
Business - CNBC
Supreme Court rejects Martin Shkreli fine appeal
Martin Shkreli in 2022 was banned from the pharmaceutical industry and ordered to disgorge profits earned from raising the price of the drug Daraprim.34 minutes ago -
Business - Inc.
Supreme Court Will Tackle Workplace Discrimination Case This Term
The high court’s docket includes cases that could recast the threshold for hiring bias claims, as well as suits addressing guns, transgender rights and online pornography.1 hour ago
More from The Hill
-
Politics - The Hill
Abandon Harris campaign endorses Jill Stein
The “Abandon Harris” group pushing for voters to protest Vice President Harris over the conflict in Gaza is endorsing the Green Party’s Jill Stein in the presidential race. The group, formerly ...24 minutes ago - Kamala Harris -
Politics - The Hill
Schumer: Oct. 7 'will go down in infamy'
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), the highest-ranking Jewish elected leader in American history, marked the first anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks in Israel as a “day that will ...30 minutes ago -
Politics - The Hill
Trump agenda would add twice as much to national debt as Harris's: Budget group
A new estimate finds that former President Trump’s tax and spending plans could add twice as much to the national debt as those brought by Vice President Harris, amounting to more than $7 trillion ...30 minutes ago - Donald Trump -
Politics - The Hill
How the US can help Lebanon move past Hezbollah
The current ruling class in Lebanon must overcome its own Stockholm syndrome.30 minutes ago -
Politics - The Hill
Charlamagne tha God knocks Republicans over false Helene response claims: 'Everything can't be politicized'
Charlamagne tha God is speaking out against what he describes as "lies created by the GOP" surrounding the federal government's response to Hurricane Helene. "It's actually nuts that at a time like ...38 minutes ago - Republican Party