Justice Ginsburg to skip State of the Union, signals she has no plans to retire - Associated Press

27/1/2018

Justice Ginsburg to skip State of the Union, signals she has no plans to retire

By Amy Lieu | Fox News

Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the U.S. Supreme Court poses for an official group portrait at the Supreme Court Building in Washington, June 1, 2017.

Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the U.S. Supreme Court poses for an official group portrait at the Supreme Court Building in Washington, June 1, 2017. (Associated Press)

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will not be attending President Donald Trump's State of the Union address on Tuesday.

Instead, she will be at Roger Williams University in Rhode Island, for a talk that was announced in August, the Providence Journal reported.

Ginsburg, 84, also has sent signals recently that she intends to keep her seat on the bench for years to come.

When asked how long she intends to serve, she said she will stay as long as she can go “full steam,” drawing inspiration from her model, Justice John Paul Stevens, who stepped down in 2010 at age 90.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Ginsburg's nomination by President Bill Clinton and her confirmation as the second woman on the court -- following former Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who was nominated by President Ronald Reagan in 1981.

“She is so spry,” said friend Ann Claire Williams, a newly retired federal appeals court judge, adding that Ginsburg’s mind is also sharp and her recall on cases “extraordinary.”

Republican presidential nominee says the Supreme Court justice was forced to apologize

The eldest Supreme Court justice has produced two of the court’s four signed opinions so far this term. She’s even hired law clerks to take her through June 2020, just months before the next presidential election.

Ginsburg also did not attend last year’s presidential address, after attending to all eight of former President Barack Obama’s addresses, the Hill reported. Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas also didn’t attend President Trump’s address last year.

Other justices have skipped out on the annual address, so the practice is not abnormal, the report said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Rep. McCarthy says no need ‘right now’ for legislation to protect Mueller - NBC News

JAN 28 2018, 10:09 AM ET

Rep. McCarthy says no need ‘right now’ for legislation to protect Mueller

by ANDREW RAFFERTY

WASHINGTON — House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy on Sunday downplayed the need for legislation protecting Robert Mueller, the special counsel investigating Russia’s role in the 2016 presidential election, and questioned the integrity of the Department of Justice during an interview on "Meet The Press."

“I don't think there’s a need for legislation right now to protect Mueller,” McCarthy told NBC News’ Chuck Todd on “Meet The Press.”

McCarthy: There's no 'need for legislation right now to protect' Mueller

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McCarthy: There's no 'need for legislation right now to protect' Mueller 1:00

“Right now there is not an issue,” he added. “So why create one when there isn’t a place for it?”

The comments came following reports that President Donald Trump wanted to fire Mueller last summer.

“I have confidence in Mueller,” McCarthy said. “I have questions about others within the FBI and the [Department of Justice].”

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., said Congress should wait to see if Trump takes action against the investigation. "Let’s see if he moves on" Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who reportedly has been the subject of the president's criticism in recent weeks.

“I think at that time there would be Democrats and Republicans saying, time to protect the judicial system and that three branches of government have an equal power,” Manchin said.

McCarthy, the second ranking House Republican, also said congressional oversight of the investigation has “raised a great deal of questions” and cast doubt over its fairness. McCarthy said he never believed in a “deep state” conspiracy, but went on to list a number of issues defenders of the president have found fault with during Mueller’s investigation, including text messages from FBI investigators revealing bias against the president.

“I think that gives anybody doubt. And I go to people who have dealt with this time and again, and now they have serious doubt,” McCarthy said.

Why should Oprah want to be president when she already calls all the shots? - Guardian

Why should Oprah want to be president when she already calls all the shots?

Rebecca Nicholson Rebecca Nicholson

She doesn’t need to run for the White House to assure her place in the public’s affection

Sun 28 Jan 2018 11.05 AEDT

‘Oprah Winfrey has firmly nixed the idea of a president Winfrey.’

Remember a couple of weeks ago, when Oprah Winfrey briefly became #Oprah2020, as if all it would take to become president of the United States was a television career and decent oratory skills?

It seemed far-fetched, but possible, as the incumbent has already demonstrated that barely one of those will do. Naturally, the attention-hungry former star of mediocre US reality show The Apprentice has weighed in on the imaginary candidacy, but enough about Piers Morgan – President Trump has said he would beat her and that “Oprah would be a lot of fun”.

The showdown was not to be. Oprah has firmly nixed the idea of a president Winfrey in the White House, with a masterly interview in InStyle magazine. “I’ve always felt very secure and confident in myself in knowing what I could do and what I could not,” she said, which has been read as a sign of self-assurance, but which could also be seen as a deliciously scathing riposte to Trump, whose insecurities radiate from him like meat sweats. “I don’t have the DNA for it,” she added, as hopeful Winfrey supporters begin smashing their “OPE” mugs in despair.

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Oprah’s life story, as rags to riches as can be, is astonishing and she has managed to juggle an air of deep benevolence and compassion with the running of a multibillion dollar industry, which is no mean feat: nobody wants a soothing hug from Jeff Bezos. So why would Oprah want to tie herself up in the political system?

She can be far more effective without going anywhere near elected office. In the InStyle interview, she brought the conversation around to farm workers in Iowa rather than letting it dwell on Hollywood. If all political lives are doomed to fail, as the famously open-hearted and accepting Enoch Powell once decreed, then of course it’s not for Oprah. Oprah Winfrey does not fail.

Of course, Vanity Fair gave Winfrey three hands in its most recent issue. Some might call it a retouching fail; others will know that, as all photographers aspire to do, Annie Leibovitz simply captured her subject’s true essence. Oprah Winfrey is so supportive of mankind that she used all three arms to prop up Reese Witherspoon. You get a hand! You get a hand! You get a hand! Besides, if she had to take the oath of office, which one would she place on the Bible?