All articles tagged with #constitution
Rep. Jamie Raskin, ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, denounced a reported $1.776 billion fund intended to compensate Trump allies via an IRS settlement as a constitutional political slush fund that Congress never authorized; he argues it would pay nearly 1,600 Jan. 6 defendants and insurrectionists, potentially violating the Fourteenth Amendment, and says Democrats will sue to block the plan.
The Senate approved a resolution to bar its members from receiving pay during future government shutdowns, a move pushed by Sen. John Kennedy in response to two recent shutdowns (a 43-day federal shutdown in 2025 and a 76-day Homeland Security shutdown earlier this year). The measure, which passed by voice vote and would take effect in November after the midterms, does not require House approval or the president and is considered binding only on senators. Some lawmakers questioned its constitutionality, though Kennedy argues it’s not unconstitutional, and Senate leaders like Chuck Schumer expressed support while it remains unclear whether the House would adopt a similar pay-withholding rule.
North Korea updated its nuclear-policy law to automatically launch a nuclear strike if Kim Jong Un is killed by a foreign power or if its nuclear command system is threatened, and revised Article 2 to redefine borders with China and Russia while removing reunification language. The changes, reportedly approved by the Supreme People’s Assembly, were publicized during a South Korean intelligence briefing and seen as a response to the effectiveness of decapitation-style attacks elsewhere, such as Iran.
North Korea revised its constitution to require an automatic nuclear strike if Kim Jong Un is assassinated or his leadership is otherwise incapacitated, approved by the Supreme People’s Assembly. The change comes amid heightened tensions after the killing of Iran’s leader in an Israeli operation, with the policy outlining immediate retaliation if the state’s nuclear-command system is threatened.
Chief Justice John Roberts argued that the Supreme Court is not a political actor and must issue sometimes unpopular decisions based on the Constitution, urging the public to focus criticism on rulings rather than the justices themselves; the piece notes the court's conservative 6-3 majority has moved federal law on abortion and gun rights and weakened the Voting Rights Act, with a recent ruling provoking left-leaning outrage.
North Korea revised its constitution to drop the aim of reunifying with the South, defining the DPRK as a separate state with borders extending to China and Russia in the north and the Republic of Korea in the south. The changes remove references to the old founding constitution and give Kim Jong Un expanded authority over nuclear decisions, signaling a move to present Pyongyang as a normal state while the government has not issued an official response.
North Korea has deleted references to reunification with the South from its constitution and added a clause defining its territory, a move Seoul says signals a harder line toward the South after Kim Jong Un labeled Seoul the 'most hostile state.' The revision, reportedly introduced in March, accompanies Pyongyang's closer alignment with Russia and China and recent missile tests, while South Korea pursues talks with no preconditions.
North Korea revised its constitution to drop the goal of reunification with South Korea and redefine its territory as including borders with China and Russia to the north and the Republic of Korea to the south, signaling a shift to a normal-state, separate-country stance; the changes also remove the Kim Il-sung–Kim Jong-il reference and place nuclear decision-making under Kim’s authority, amid ongoing tensions and border disputes like the Northern Limit Line.
Justice Neil Gorsuch told CBS News that his loyalty lies with the Constitution and the laws of the United States, not with President Trump, defending judicial independence and life tenure as the Supreme Court faces criticism and reform debates amid recent rulings and attacks.
Harvard Law emeritus Alan Dershowitz argues that Democrats’ push to invoke the 25th Amendment against President Trump is unconstitutional and misuses a safeguard designed for objective incapacity, not political disagreement; treating it as a partisan weapon would erode the amendment and set a dangerous precedent for future presidents.
Italy votes on a constitutional reform pushed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to overhaul the judiciary; a “yes” could boost her mandate, while opponents warn it threatens democracy. The reform would separate career paths for judges and prosecutors and create new disciplinary bodies, with turnout and public understanding shaping the outcome and Meloni's political standing.
Kazakhstan is holding a referendum to approve a new constitution that would widen the powers of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, signaling a major shift in the country’s political system.
Defense Department CTO Emil Michael said Anthropic’s Claude AI models would pollute the defense supply chain due to baked-in policy preferences, justifying a supply-chain-risk designation that could jeopardize hundreds of millions in contracts. Anthropic has sued the Trump administration to overturn the designation, arguing it is unlawful and harms its business. The designation requires contractors to certify they don’t use Claude; Anthropic has published Claude’s constitution, describing how it shapes the model’s safe and ethical behavior. Despite the blacklist, Claude has been used to support U.S. military operations in Iran, and the DoD says a transition plan is in place to move away from Anthropic, noting the change cannot be done overnight.
Voters in Switzerland approved a constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to use cash (franc banknotes and coins), with 73.4% in favor. The move, championed by the Swiss Freedom Movement, aligns Switzerland with Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia in protecting cash as a legal right, amid a broader push toward digital payments. Cash usage in Switzerland has fallen over the years, but supporters say access to cash should be safeguarded.
The Justice Department dropped lawsuits against Perkins Coie, WilmerHale, Susman Godfrey, and Jenner & Block after federal judges unanimously ruled Trump's executive orders targeting those firms unconstitutional, vindicating the firms' challenge and upholding the constitutional right to counsel and the rule of law. Some firms had previously agreed to pro bono deals or other concessions, a move that drew criticism from parts of the legal community and praise from opponents of the orders.