I have sent a request in to the #SCOTUS Public Information Office seeking more information.
-
-
So, that's what we KNOW. The speculation will run rampant. But, here's what I'm looking at: The terseness of the Chief's statement.
-
Compare the Chief Justice tonight with Breyer's statement from his GG "courtesy fifth" earlier this year.pic.twitter.com/vO9NrMTZWL
-
I count three times in that brief statement where the Chief tells the four who voted for a stay that they're wrong.pic.twitter.com/2jHtdnKWH0
-
This suggests to me CJ either felt pressure to provide a courtesy fifth OR wanted to make sure everyone knew this rly was just a courtesy.
-
IOW, it looks to me like he's either feeling pressure from the left inside the court or worried about pressure from the right outside.
-
[I'm not sure which, although I started out almost certain it had to be an inside-the-court thing. Now, though, I'm not so sure.]
-
He's overseeing an 8-person court, it's days before an election, and there are four justices on the liberal side. He's in a tough spot.
-
Allowing an execution to proceed on a 4-4 vote — especially given the dissent that he could have been facing — could have been dramatic.
-
Granting the fifth, w a terse statement letting everyone know he's unhappy about it, seems like an efficient move for him in all directions.
- 1 more reply
New conversation -
Loading seems to be taking a while.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.