{"id":2353518,"date":"2024-10-11T05:18:02","date_gmt":"2024-10-11T09:18:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/why-the-supreme-court-may-shy-away-from-2024-election-fights-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-10-11T05:24:05","modified_gmt":"2024-10-11T09:24:05","slug":"why-the-supreme-court-may-shy-away-from-2024-election-fights-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/why-the-supreme-court-may-shy-away-from-2024-election-fights-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Why the Supreme Court may shy away from 2024 election fights &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwhy-the-supreme-court-may-shy-away-from-2024-election-fights-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2353518&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses \u2064the \u2064potential \u2062role of the Supreme Court \u200din the upcoming 2024 election, highlighting differing\u2062 opinions among \u200clegal experts. Some \u200cbelieve that recent trends indicate the justices may avoid election-related disputes, as evidenced by the limited number of cases they&#8217;ve taken\u2063 on this term. Former federal prosecutor Joyce\u2064 Vance suggests this could suggest\u2062 the Court is keeping its \u200ddocket \u200davailable for possible legal challenges, especially those involving former President Donald\u2062 Trump.<\/p>\n<p>Conversely, other experts argue that the chances \u2063of\u200d the Supreme Court becoming \u2062involved in election cases are slim, emphasizing the necessity of specific circumstances, such as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ex-con-defeats-incumbent-in-brazilian-presidential-election\/\" title=\"Ex-Con Defeats Incumbent In Brazilian Presidential Election\">tightly contested election<\/a> or \u200bvalid\u2062 federal legal questions. \u2064Analyst Henry Olsen stresses \u200dthat\u2064 historical precedent,\u2063 particularly\u2064 the controversial 2000 Bush v. \u200bGore case, is unlikely to\u2063 repeat itself, suggesting \u200bthat Chief Justice John Roberts is hesitant to engage the Court in politically charged issues.<\/p>\n<p>Some legal scholars, like Aziz Huq, propose \u200bpotential scenarios where the Court might intervene, including\u2063 challenges related to state\u2063 election certifications. However, experts like Richard\u200d Hasen argue that\u2064 the electoral climate is less volatile \u2062compared to 2020,\u2062 when COVID-19-related changes\u2064 significantly affected voting procedures.<\/p>\n<p>while the \u200bpossibility of Supreme \u200dCourt involvement remains, many analysts believe the circumstances and legal\u2064 frameworks in\u200b 2024 differ notably from those during the previous election, suggesting a potentially less contentious electoral process ahead.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Why the Supreme Court may shy away from 2024 election fights<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1792056\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Despite concerns about the potential for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/supreme-court\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Supreme Court<\/a> intervention in fights related to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2024-elections\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>2024 election<\/a>, some experts say recent signs suggest the nine justices may stay out of the equation.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The relatively low number of Supreme Court cases the justices have agreed to take on so far this term has led legal observers to speculate that the high court may be leaving space to handle election-related disputes, should any arise. Former federal prosecutor Joyce Vance, for example, said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/joycevance.substack.com\/p\/the-week-ahead-80c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>recent post<\/a> on her blog Civil Divorce that the Supreme Court is &ldquo;saving room&rdquo; on its docket in case they need to handle any lawsuits brought by former President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Donald Trump<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Former President Donald Trump, Republican presidential nominee, speaks at a campaign rally at the Santander Arena, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024, in Reading, Pennsylvania. (AP Photo\/Alex Brandon)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>However, other legal experts and election watchers disagree, speaking out about the significant improbability of the Supreme Court&rsquo;s wading into any pre- or post-election litigation.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why the Supreme Court is unlikely to recreate <em>Bush v. Gore<\/em><\/h2>\n<p>Henry Olsen, an author, analyst, and senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, told the <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>that there is a &ldquo;slim&rdquo; likelihood that the high court would wade into any election-related challenges, noting that would require multiple variables to come together.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I think the likelihood is very slim, because what you have to do is, first of all, is have a very close election in some case, or in some flights of fancy, a theory that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Republicans\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Republicans<\/a> will illegally refuse to certify a vote,&rdquo; he said.<\/p>\n<p>Olsen also said that there would need to be a valid legal question at issue in order for the Supreme Court to consider taking an election case. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;That is again, an open question, and it has to be a federal question, not a state question,&rdquo; Olsen said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">FILE &ndash; Chief Justice John Roberts poses for a portrait in Washington, Oct. 7, 2022. Federal courts moved Tuesday, March 12, 2024, to make it harder to file lawsuits in front of judges seen as friendly to a point of view, a practice known as judge shopping, that gained national attention in a major abortion-medication case. The practice&rsquo;s use in patent cases was highlighted by Roberts in his 2021 report on the federal judiciary. (AP Photo\/J. Scott Applewhite, File)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>The Supreme Court led by Chief Justice <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/John-Roberts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>John Roberts<\/a>, an appointee of former President George W. Bush, has been dogged for years by critics on the Left for its 6-3 Republican-appointed majority, formed with the help of Trump and then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).<\/p>\n<p>But Olsen <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/manchin-throws-a-wrench-into-democrats-climate-plans-again\/\" title=\"Manchin Throws A Wrench Into Democrats\u2019 Climate Plans \u2014 Again\">poured cold water<\/a> on the notion that the Roberts court would pull out any stops to help Trump in the event that the election results in a decisive loss for the former president, saying &ldquo;it&rsquo;s pretty clear that there is not a 6-3 lock-step majority.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s pretty clear that Justice Roberts does not want the court to be moving in a direction where it is settling contentious issues that it doesn&rsquo;t have to settle. You saw that as far back as the Obamacare case, when he was the vote that basically found a compromise that invalidated some provisions, but not the whole law,&rdquo; Olsen said.<\/p>\n<p>Yet some legal experts maintain that there are still ways the justices could get thrust into a difficult position, such as what happened in the 2000&nbsp;<em>Bush v. Gore&nbsp;<\/em>case, where the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2633030\/shadow-of-doubt-how-the-supreme-court-could-change-the-course-of-the-2024-election\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">so-called hanging chads election<\/a>&nbsp;between Bush and Democratic candidate Al Gore was handled by a Supreme Court ruling that Florida&rsquo;s recount should be stopped on the Constitution&rsquo;s equal protection grounds, handing the victory to Bush, despite Gore winning the popular vote.<\/p>\n<p>Vance, who pointed out that the Supreme Court has only taken roughly 40 cases for this term, hinged her theory about the justices&rsquo; slim docket on the potential of a &ldquo;round two of the presidential immunity appeal [Trump] hopes will prevent him from facing a jury in Washington, D.C.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>While the Supreme Court in July did side in a 6-3 decision with Trump&rsquo;s argument that former presidents are entitled to some immunity from prosecution, special counsel <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Jack-Smith\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Jack Smith<\/a> has hardly slowed down since the case resumed pretrial activity in U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan&rsquo;s courtroom.<\/p>\n<p>And more importantly, whether Trump decides to make another attempt to appeal to the Supreme Court over his D.C. criminal case does not mean the Supreme Court will get dragged into a <em>Bush v. Gore<\/em> scenario.<\/p>\n<p>If Trump wins the 2024 election against Vice President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Kamala-Harris\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Kamala Harris<\/a>, political analysts and legal experts largely agree that Trump may call on the Justice Department to dismiss the two federal cases he faces. Those include a classified documents case that was dismissed by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, which could still be resurrected on appeal.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Protesters demonstrate outside the Supreme Court as the justices hear arguments over whether&nbsp;Donald Trump is immune from prosecution in a case charging him with plotting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. (AP Photo\/J. Scott Applewhite)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How some experts say the Supreme Court could still get entangled in 2024 drama<\/h2>\n<p>Other legal experts, such as University of Chicago law professor Aziz Huq, predicted in a <em>Politico <\/em>magazine <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/magazine\/2024\/10\/09\/supreme-court-intervene-election-00182754\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>report<\/a> that there are &ldquo;three paths&rdquo; the justices could take to involve themselves in a future 2024 election challenge.<\/p>\n<p>The first path Huq floated relates to a 2023 case,&nbsp;<em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/opinions\/22pdf\/21-1271_3f14.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Moore v. Harper<\/a><\/em>, in which the Supreme Court held in part that justices could involve themselves in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/if-roe-is-thrown-out-roughly-half-of-u-s-states-will-restrict-abortions\/\" title=\"If Roe Is Thrown Out, Roughly Half Of U.S. States Will Restrict Abortions\">state court rulings<\/a> if state judges &ldquo;exceeded the bounds of ordinary judicial review.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Huq said a second path could open once votes have been cast, floating as an example a scenario where a &ldquo;MAGA-backed Georgia state election board refuses to certify a Harris victory.&rdquo; A third path, and one Huq considered most unlikely, is a scenario where the joint session of Congress convenes to clear the Electoral College tally, which he suggested is quite a stretch.<\/p>\n<p>While the Georgia State Board of Elections has made at least three last-minute changes to election rules, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3172539\/georgia-judge-seems-open-allowing-election-rule-changes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>a recent courtroom trial over<\/a> the contested rules prompted a judge to gain clarification from attorneys representing the board: that Georgia&rsquo;s hard Nov. 12 deadline for certification will not be disrupted.<\/p>\n<p>In an email to the <em>Washington Examiner,<\/em> University of California, Los Angeles professor Richard Hasen said he has a &ldquo;different view than Huq.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">FILE &ndash; A worker at the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections works to process absentee ballots at the State Farm Arena Monday, Nov. 2, 2020, in Atlanta. (AP Photo\/John Bazemore, File)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why the election legal environment isn&rsquo;t as volatile as 2020<\/h2>\n<p>Hasen <a href=\"https:\/\/slate.com\/news-and-politics\/2024\/10\/supreme-court-2024-election-covid-rules.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>published<\/a> a report in <em>Slate <\/em>Thursday declaring that the greatest chance for a Supreme Court intervention in pre-election litigation &ldquo;fizzled last week&rdquo; when the Pennsylvania Supreme Court declined to intervene in a dispute on the treatment of mail-in ballots.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Had the Pennsylvania Supreme Court agreed to take the case, this would have raised a thorny question left unanswered by the U.S. Supreme Court&rsquo;s 2023 decision in&nbsp;<em>Moore v. Harper<\/em>,&rdquo; Hasen said.<\/p>\n<p>Both Olsen and Hasen said that there is always a risk for a <em>Bush v. Gore <\/em>repeat.<\/p>\n<p>However, both experts agreed that the 2020 election was marred by challenges because of the array of rule changes that occurred because of the pandemic, which is no longer an issue for this election.<\/p>\n<p>And with COVID-19 came a deluge of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/georgia-governor-signs-into-law-sweeping-election-reform-bill-including-voter-id-for-absentee-ballots\/\" title=\"Georgia Governor Signs Into Law Sweeping Election Reform Bill, Including Voter ID for Absentee Ballots\">absentee ballot requests<\/a>. Around 46% of voters voted absentee or by mail in 2020, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/politics\/2020\/11\/20\/the-voting-experience-in-2020\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>according<\/a> to Pew Research data. So far, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/interactive\/2024\/us\/elections\/early-vote-tracker-2024.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>about 52 million U.S. residents<\/a> have requested some form of absentee ballots as of Oct. 10, which represents 26% of registered voters. Some states, such as California, send mail-in ballots to every registered voter, while evidence suggests fewer<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2024\/09\/11\/politics\/early-voting-election-what-matters\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title> people could vote absentee<\/a> in the Nov. 5 election.<\/p>\n<p>Hasen said if the election boils down to a few thousands votes or fewer in crucial swing states, &ldquo;then we&rsquo;ll expect both sides to litigate as hard as they can to try to secure a favorable outcome.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Indeed, one could imagine that if it all comes down to Pennsylvania and there is a pile of those timely but undated or misdated ballots, someone will sue on behalf of those voters in federal court, arguing that the ballots must be counted to protect the right to equal protection guaranteed by the 14th Amendment,&rdquo; Hasen wrote, and Olsen similarly agreed that he expects lawsuits in the state after ballots are cast.<\/p>\n<p>But Hasen, who typically aligns with Democrats who push more permissive voting options, poured cold water on the notion that a conservative majority on the Supreme Court would side with any election officials holding up the certification process.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;In such a case, judicial involvement would be to protect the will of the voters, not to serve as an end run around them,&rdquo; Hasen wrote.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This is a Court that I do not think wants to decide the election,&rdquo; Olsen said, noting, &ldquo;They will if they have to.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;But the idea that there&rsquo;s this conspiracy from the lowest precinct worker to the highest Supreme Court justice to thwart democracy is incorrect,&rdquo; he added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1792056\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1792056\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Supreme Court may avoid 2024 election disputes, experts suggest<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2633,"featured_media":2353519,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/AP24116448717067.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[32431,4151,36218,32275,32076],"class_list":["post-2353518","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-2024-election","tag-judiciary","tag-legal-analysis","tag-supreme-court","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/AP24116448717067.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2353518","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2633"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2353518"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2353518\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2353519"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2353518"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2353518"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2353518"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}