AI Summary
5 min readThe Supreme Court handed down a series of blockbuster rulings on a single day, reshaping the rules for mail-in ballots and redefining presidential power over federal agencies. In a surprise decision, Justice Amy Coney Barrett—a Trump appointee—sided with the court's liberal wing to uphold a Mississippi law allowing mail ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted up to five days later. Meanwhile, the court delivered a mixed verdict on how much control the president has over independent agencies, ruling he can fire Federal Trade Commission members at will but cannot remove Federal Reserve Board governors without cause. And in Venezuela, the death toll from a devastating double earthquake has climbed past 1,700, with rescue efforts hampered by aftershocks and crumbling infrastructure.
The Mail Ballot Ruling: A Surprise from Barrett
The most consequential decision of the day came in a case that could affect election outcomes for years. At issue was a Mississippi law allowing mail ballots cast by Election Day to be counted up to five days after polls close, as long as they were postmarked on time. The Republican Party and the Trump administration had challenged the law head-on, backed by the conservative Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which struck it down on the grounds that "election day means election day."
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What you'll learn
- 1 (00:31) **Supreme Court Upholds Mississippi's Mail Ballot Grace Period** - In a 5-4 decision, the Court rules that states can count mail ballots that arrive up to five days after Election Day, as long as they are postmarked by Election Day.
- 2 (09:00) **Supreme Court Rules on Presidential Power to Fire Agency Officials** - In two separate cases, the Court delivers a mixed verdict on how much control the president has over independent federal agencies.
- 3 (18:20) **Venezuela Earthquake Aftermath: Devastation and Desperate Rescue Efforts** - ABC's James Longman reports from the ground in La Guaira, a seaside town near the epicenter of a pair of powerful earthquakes.
- 4 (25:53) **One Last Thing: Serena Williams' Wimbledon Comeback and the GLP-1 Debate** - Serena Williams returns to singles play at Wimbledon at age 44, sparking a conversation about whether GLP-1 weight loss drugs are performance-enhancing.
- 5 Standout Quotes
- 6 "The bottom line, she said, Brad, is that there's nothing in the law about ballot receipt. And in her words, quote, 'we can't add to the words Congress chose.'" - Devin Dwyer, summarizing Justice Barrett's opinion
- 7 "If I stay here, at least I did whatever I could. And if I find her she's not alive, I know at least I wait here and know that I left and she will be alive." - A Venezuelan earthquake survivor, waiting for rescuers
+ Full timestamped outline available in the app
Guests on this episode
Show Notes
The Supreme Court issues a surprising ruling on mail ballots, upending President Trump’s hope to restrict when they can be counted. Meanwhile, a pair of cases results in conflicting rulings over whether a president can fire agency officials. And aftershocks continue to rattle Venezuela as rescue efforts continue.
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