University of California, Los Angeles
Adam Winkler is a professor of constitutional law at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the author of Gunfight: The Battle over the Right to Bear Arms in America. His forthcoming book is We the Corporations.
The US Supreme Court is back in business Justice Neil Gorsuch has the US Supreme Court at full strength after more than a year with just eight members: four conservatives and four tending liberal. After avoiding important cases that might have produced tie votes, the Court is expected to come up with some blockbuster decisions in its next term. Partisan gerrymandering, gay rights, free speech, religion and immigration are all on the docket… after the court takes three months off. Is Gorsuch even more to the right than Antonin Scalia, the man he replaced? And…how come the court gets such a long vacation?
Trump’s travel ban and the system of checks and balances A federal judge in Washington State issued a legal challenge to President Donald Trump’s travel ban on Friday, exercising the country’s system of checks and balances. Now the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals here in California will decide whether the ban should be suspended while legal issues are worked out. The case could very well reach the Supreme Court, which still only has eight judges, and the stakes are high.
Tracking mass shootings nationwide On average, there’s more than one mass shooting per day in the U.S. Ten happened last week, according to the website Mass Shooting Tracker.
The AR-15 and Mass Shootings Gun control is being debated following the shooting in Orlando that left 49 people dead. The gunman used an AR-15, as well as a handgun. Assault-style rifles were also used in the terrorist attack in San Bernardino, and the killing of schoolchildren in Sandy Hook. Adam Winkler, law professor at UCLA and author of “Gunfight: The Battle over the Right to Bear Arms in America” explains why the AR-15 one of the weapons seen again and again in mass shootings.
Presidential Politics and the US Supreme Court President Obama today named a distinguished judge to fill the vacancy on the US Supreme Court. The nominee is a veteran, Merrick Garland , Chief Judge of the US Court of Appeals in Washington, DC, who is well regarded by Senators of both parties. Nevertheless, Republicans were ready to Just Say "No" — not to the judge himself but to his nomination by an outgoing president. They accuse Obama of politicizing the court — the same charge Democrats have leveled against Republicans under similar circumstances. That's intensifying this year's race for the White House just one day after another round of primary elections.
Executive Action on Guns? The president spoke from the Oval Office last night about terrorism and gun control. Polls show a significant majority of Americans support universal background checks. But last Thursday, the day after the San Bernardino shootings, the Senate voted down a universal background check bill. The Senate also voted down a measure that would prevent people on the terrorist watch list from being able to buy guns. A few Republicans joined the Democrats supporting background checks. But the votes were largely along partisan lines. Obama now is considering taking some kind of executive action on gun control.
Is Gun Control an Answer to Homegrown Terror? Investigators report that the female killer in San Bernardino pledged allegiance to ISIS on Facebook on the day the mass shooting occurred. It's not clear if the couple was directed by ISIS or only inspired, but it's more evidence that homegrown terrorism in the United States is a reality. The FBI and other agencies are monitoring hundreds of people in the hope of preventing similar crimes. Will all this increase the pressure for gun control, or will more Americans arm themselves in preparation for their worst nightmares?
How Many Bullets Are Too Many? Last summer, the LA City Council voted unanimously to prohibit magazines that hold more than 10 bullets. Then, the Police Protective League demanded exemptions, so retired officers and active reservists could carry more. A Council committee has approved that change — setting off a battle about ammunition. We hear from both sides.
Badger Guns Held Liable In Wisconsin six years ago, an 18-year-old was caught on video in a gun store pointing to the gun he wanted while someone else filled out the paperwork and paid for the gun. This is known as using a “straw buyer.” A month later, the 18-year-old shot two police officers, leaving one partially blind and with brain damage. Last night, after years in court, a jury found that the gun store is liable. Badger Guns, in West Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has been ordered to pay $5 million dollars in damages for “serious negligence.”
Supreme Court Is Back in Session The Supreme Court is back in action hearing arguments today, and California figures in a couple of significant cases that will come up before the court. A group of teachers is suing the California Teachers Association arguing that they shouldn’t have to pay union fees if they don’t join the union. And there’s a case against DirecTV involving those online legal contracts we all agree to without reading them.
New L.A. Gun Regulations Aim to Keep Kids Safe The L.A. city council voted unanimously yesterday to impose stricter storage regulations on gun owners. In an attempt to make it harder for kids to get their hands on guns, firearms will now have to be under lock and key or disabled with a trigger lock when out of reach of the owner. What does this mean for gun rights and gun safety?
Can LA Politicians Reduce Gun Violence? Gun magazines holding more than 10 rounds can't be manufactured in California. It's illegal to sell them or bring them into the state, but possession is not prohibited. On Tuesday, the LA City Council voted unanimously to impose a ban on possession within city limits. Paul Krekorian represents the East San Fernando Valley, and he authored the measure.
The Supreme Court’s New Term At yesterday’s opening session, the US Supreme Court declined to take up cases involving same-sex marriage. Was that a surprise—or not? First, today’s arguments in the case of a notorious prisoner in Arkansas—a self-proclaimed Muslim jihadist who stabbed his ex-girlfriend. He says his religion requires him to wear a half-inch beard—contrary to the rules in state prison.
After Isla Vista: New Gun Control Proposed for California The late Elliot Roger is suspected of shooting 13 people last Friday in Isla Vista, killing himself and six others. In April, his mother had raised concerns about his mental condition because of threatening rants he posted on line. Sheriff's deputies visited him at his apartment, but concluded that nothing was wrong. After the shootings, investigators found his apartment was full of evidence that Roger had planned bloody violence — and that he owned the weapons needed to carry it out.
Corporations, the Right to Religion and Gender Discrimination Corporations have long been considered "persons" under American law, to protect their shareholders from liability when things go wrong. The US Supreme court has ruled they can spend money on politics because "personhood" includes the right to free speech. Do corporations also have the right to religion? That was one of the questions before the court today in the case of a chain of craft stores. Hobby Lobby's owners want to deny female employees coverage for some kinds of contraception — as required by the Affordable Care Act -- claiming religious objections. ( Conestoga Wood Specialties , a corporation owned by Mennonites is also a party.) Do corporations have religious rights? Could other companies refuse coverage for blood transfusions, vaccinations or psychiatric care on religious grounds? Is Hobby Lobby asking to discriminate against female employees? We hear today's arguments and what the justices wanted to know.
Has a California Gun Control Law Backfired? In 2010, California gun rights advocates created a spectacle by prominently carrying handguns at Starbucks. Under state law, their action was legal as long as the guns were unloaded. Gun control groups demanded a change, and the state legislature then banned what's called "open carry." Now a federal appellate court has ruled that there was an unintended consequence: the ban on "open carry" means there cannot also be a limit on "concealed carry."
Replacing Obamacare: Now you see it… now you don’t As the Senate deliberates replacing Obmacare, health coverage for millions of people is at stake. There've been no public hearings, and a draft measure won't be made public. Is the House version so unpopular that that Senate is hiding a version that looks much the same?
President Trump: US to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord Trump says he was elected to serve Pittsburgh, not Paris.
Venezuela spirals into economic and political chaos Venezuela, a country whose potential for prosperity is unmatched, finds itself on the verge of civil war. What sustains the repressive government? With time running out, guest host León Krauze looks at what the international community can do to pull the country from the edge of collapse.
Janesville and the American Dream Janesville, Wisconsin is the hometown of Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan. But he couldn’t prevent the closing of the General Motors factory after 100 years. On this Memorial Day rebroadcast of To the Point, we hear what’s happened to what once was a model of American middle-class unity.