Supreme Court Limits Some Voting and Firing Challenges

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a Republican National Committee challenge to a Mississippi law that counts certain ballots received after Election Day. The 5-4 decision joined Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett with the court's three liberal members.

Civil rights groups said the ruling protects voter access. Robert Weiner, Voting Rights Project director at the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, stated that democracy strengthens when more citizens participate. President Trump called the decision detrimental to honest elections and said it gives people more time to vote illegally.

He urged Senate Republicans to advance the SAVE America Act, which would require multiple identification forms to register and photo identification to vote.

exception In a separate opinion the court shielded Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook from removal without cause. The ruling created a statutory exception for the central bank while affirming broader presidential authority to dismiss officials at other independent agencies.

The decision overturned a 91-year-old precedent that had limited removal power over commissioners at agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission. President Trump described the outcome as a major expansion of executive authority.

Carroll appeal declined The justices declined to hear President Trump's appeal of a jury verdict that found he sexually abused and defamed writer E. Jean Carroll. The civil jury awarded Carroll $5 million. Trump's legal team issued a statement rejecting the verdict and calling the case a hoax.

Carroll's attorney Roberta Kaplan said the court's action ends further appeals and affirms the jury's unanimous finding.