How much power does the CDC have during the pandemic? Surprisingly, that was not the issue before a district court considering the constitutionality of the CDC’s eviction moratorium. Instead, it was how much power does the federal government have, virus or not. As Michael Bindas explains, that might have tipped the scales when the court interpreted the scope of the Commerce Clause. Out West, Alexa Gervasi walks us through the latest challenge to mandatory bar association dues. The Ninth Circuit says a Supreme Court precedent is on pretty shaky grounds these days, but as it’s the Supremes’ job to sort its own cases out, the lower court’s hands are tied. That’s true for the free speech claim, but on freedom of association there’s more wriggle room.

Transcript: https://ij.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Short-Circuit-165.pdf
Terkel v. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://files.texaspolicy.com/uploads/2021/02/25160210/045-Opinion-and-Order.pdf?utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_yj38m8dsqQuMMefjgKOjTMn-r345C5gtARN0qLZ_Yb3dh8Eo_3Ifdh6baGpsGd07pTnKW
Crowe v. Oregon State Bar, https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2021/02/26/19-35463.pdf
Michael Bindas, https://ij.org/staff/mbindas/
Alexa Gervasi, https://ij.org/staff/alexa-gervasi/
Anthony Sanders, https://ij.org/staff/asanders/

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