Trump's Supreme Court Nominees Frustrate Ultra Conservatives...Mostly

As a significant term in Supreme Court history comes to an end, the ACLU is reflecting on the court's decisions, the conclusion of Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s first year on the bench, and a session that saw significant rulings on voting rights, free speech, and anti-discrimination protections. With the appointment of Justice Barrett, the court’s new 6-3 conservative supermajority ruled on a range of historic cases that expanded, as well as contracted, our fundamental freedoms — including a landmark ruling to preserve the Affordable Care Act. The ACLU also saw decisions on our cases, from Fulton v. City of Philadelphia to Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L., that set significant precedents for the protection of civil rights and civil liberties across the nation.

As we reflect on the legacy of the past term, we also look ahead to the court’s direction in the year to come. The upcoming term, which is set to be a nail biter, could decide the fates of a variety of critical issues including reproductive rights, affirmative action, and gun rights.

In this week’s episode of At Liberty, we sit down with David Cole, the ACLU’s legal director and Supreme Court expert, to unpack the impact of the recent term, weigh in on the term’s major civil liberties decisions, discuss the Trump appointees’ impact on the court, and take a peek at what lies ahead.