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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 3 OcTOber 2023

The Supreme Court opens its new term with a case about prison

terms for drug dealers

By Mark Sherman stay out of Eastman's case,
Associated Press which involved emails that
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Eastman was trying to keep
Supreme Court opened its from the House committee
new term Monday with a that investigated the Jan.
case about prison terms for 6, 2021 attack on the Capi-
drug dealers and rejections tol.
of hundreds of appeals, in- Some of those emails, since
cluding one from an attor- made public, are between
ney who pushed a plan to Eastman and another law-
keep former President Don- yer, Kenneth Chesebro, in
ald Trump in power. which they mention Thom-
The court turned away at- as as their best hope to
torney John Eastman's ef- get the Supreme Court to
fort to have a lower-court The Supreme Court is seen on April 21, 2023, in Washington. The new term of the high court begins intervene in the election
ruling thrown out that said next Monday, Oct. 2. outcome in a case from
Eastman and Trump had (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) Georgia.
“more likely than not” com- Barrett said during 90 min- jor rulings a year ago that ever code of conduct, Trump, Eastman and Che-
mitted a crime by trying to utes of arguments that did overturned Roe v. Wade though disagreements re- sebro are among 19 people
keep Congress from certi- not suggest how the court and expanded gun rights. main, Justice Elena Kagan who have been indicted in
fying President Joe Biden's might rule. A gun case will be argued said recently. Fulton County, Georgia, for
victory in the 2020 election. The term is shaping up as in November. The push to codify ethical their efforts to overturn the
Justice Clarence Thomas, an important one for social Limits on mifepristone, a standards for the justices 2020 election.
who once employed East- media as the court contin- drug used in the most com- stems from a series of stories Life at the court has more
man as a law clerk, did not ues to grapple with apply- mon method of abortion, questioning some of their or less returned to its pre-
take part in the court's con- ing older laws and rulings to could be before the court practices. COVID-19 normal over the
sideration of Eastman's ap- the digital age. by spring. Many of those stories fo- past two years, though ar-
peal. Several cases also confront Among the bigger un- cused on Thomas and his guments last much longer
The only case argued Mon- the court with the continu- knowns is whether any dis- failure to disclose travel than they used to and So-
day concerns the meaning ing push by conservatives putes will reach the court and other financial ties with tomayor, who has diabe-
of the word “and” in a fed- to constrict federal regula- involving the prosecution wealthy conservative do- tes, continues to wear a
eral law dealing with prison tory agencies. On Tuesday, of Trump or efforts to keep nors, including Harlan Crow mask on the bench .
terms for low-level drug the court will hear a chal- the Republican off the and the Koch brothers. But One other change that re-
dealers. The length of thou- lenge that could disrupt 2024 ballot because of the Justices Samuel Alito and sulted from the coronavi-
sands of sentences a year the Consumer Financial Constitution’s insurrection Sonia Sotomayor also have rus pandemic remains: The
is at stake. Protection Bureau. clause. been under scrutiny. court is livestreaming audio
“I think this is a very hard The court also is dealing Apart from cases, the jus- On Monday, Thomas did of all its arguments. Cam-
case,” Justice Amy Coney with the fallout from ma- tices are discussing a first- not explain his decision to eras remain forbidden.q

The Pentagon warns Congress it is running low on money to

replace weapons sent to Ukraine

By Lolita Baldor and chael McCord told House cent months.
Tara Copp and Senate leaders there is McCord said the U.S. has
Associated Press $1.6 billion left of the $25.9 completely run out of
WASHINGTON (AP) — The billion Congress provided to long-term funding for Kyiv
Pentagon is warning Con- replenish U.S. military stocks through the Ukraine Se-
gress that it is running low that have been flowing to curity Assistance Initiative,
on money to replace Ukraine. The weapons in- which providesmoney to
weapons the U.S. has sent clude millions of rounds of contract for future weap-
to Ukraine and has already artillery, rockets and missiles ons.
been forced to slow down critical to Ukraine's counter- “We have already been
resupplying some troops, offensive aimed at taking forced to slow down the
according to a letter sent back territory gained by replenishment of our own
to congressional leaders. Russia in the war. forces to hedge against an Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, speaks with Ukrainian President
The letter, obtained by The In addition, the U.S. has uncertain funding future,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a wreath laying ceremony at the
Associated Press, urges about $5.4 billion left to pro- McCord said in the letter. 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, Sept. 21, 2023, in Washington, as first
Congress to replenish fund- vide weapons and equip- “Failure to replenish our lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, looks on.
(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)
ing for Ukraine. Congress ment from its stockpiles. The military services on a timely
averted a government U.S. would have already basis could harm our mili- equipment that are “criti- “We cannot under any cir-
shutdown by passing a run out of that funding if the tary's readiness.” cal and urgent now as Rus- cumstances allow Ameri-
short-term funding bill over Pentagon hadn't realized He added that without ad- sia prepares to conduct a ca’s support for Ukraine to
the weekend, but the mea- earlier this year that it had ditional funding now, the winter offensive.” be interrupted,” Biden said.
sure dropped all assistance overvalued the equipment U.S. will have to delay or cur- President Joe Biden said “We have time, not much
for Ukraine in the battle it had already sent, freeing tail air defense weapons, Sunday that while the aid time, and there’s an over-
against Russia. up about $6.2 billion. Some ammunition, drones and will keep flowing for now, whelming sense of urgen-
Pentagon Comptroller Mi- of that has been sent in re- demolition and breaching time is running out. cy.” q