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Latest SCOTUS leak a gift to liberals ‘salivating’ over control of high court narrative: experts
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A Supreme Court leak is giving liberals new ammunition in their long-running criticism of the emergency docket after recently published internal memos showed how the high court fast-tracks major cases, a process that critics say has served to advance key parts of President Donald Trump’s agenda in his second term.
«The liberals are salivating over this. They’re very happy because it reinforces their narrative,» South Texas College of Law professor Josh Blackman told Fox News Digital.
The memos, published Saturday by the New York Times, offered a rare look at how Chief Justice John Roberts pressed the court in 2016 to quickly block President Barack Obama’s Clean Power Plan. But the immediate concern now is not about what the documents revealed about the Supreme Court’s emergency docket but rather the leak itself, according to experts, who said it was a deliberate attempt to damage the court’s credibility.
«The bigger issue is people are leaking stuff to try to hurt the court,» Blackman said. «That’s the bigger story. This was done to try to make the court look bad. Roberts, I think, doesn’t come out looking very good in this one. … I think it’s designed to hurt the chief in particular.»
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President Donald Trump greets Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. as he arrives to deliver an address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on March 4, 2025. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
The leaked internal memos appeared centered on the 5-4 decision along ideological lines in February 2016 to block Obama’s signature energy plan. The memos, written by and circulated among the justices, showed Roberts urging his colleagues to quickly intervene and halt the plan, a revelation that fueled attacks from the left on the so-called shadow docket.
«The new reporting highlights the role of this rashly issued stay in inaugurating the Supreme Court’s use of unexplained and hastily issued ‘shadow docket’ proceedings to alter major national policies,» Environmental Defense Fund general counsel Vickie Patton said in a statement Monday.
The leak incident has generated several theories in legal circles that a liberal justice or retired liberal justice, or one of their former clerks, passed the 16 pages of memos off to the New York Times to weaken confidence in high-profile emergency docket decisions, which have often favored Trump since he took office. A similar, smaller-scale leak to the same New York Times reporters occurred in 2024.
A ‘deteriorating culture at the court’
Blackman noted the person who gave the decade-old memos to the New York Times could share even more.
«This person probably kept a lot of things and decided to leak this, and there might be even more coming,» Blackman said. «I think this is absolutely partisan, and it’s done in a way to hurt and wound the court and to reaffirm this notion that the shadow docket is an evil, nefarious regime.»
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Former President Barack Obama speaks to supporters during a get out the vote rally at Essex County College gymnasium in Newark, N.J., on Nov. 1. (Kyle Mazza/Anadolu)
George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley echoed Blackman’s sentiments in an op-ed, saying «the controversy over the use of the shadow docket is immaterial to this story.»
Turley pointed to the Dobbs opinion leak to Politico from 2022, which was, at the time, a stunning violation of the high court’s confidentiality. Turley noted while that breach was an apparent «effort to influence the final opinion,» this latest one is about an old case and therefore «had a purely malicious purpose to embarrass or disrupt the court.»
«The leaks appear to reflect a deteriorating culture at the court,» Turley added.
The Supreme Court’s press office did not respond to an inquiry from Fox News Digital about the leaks.
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Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., told Fox News on Monday the memos were «100%» intended to discredit the court. Hawley and his wife, Erin, a lawyer at the conservative Alliance Defending Freedom, both previously worked as law clerks for Roberts.
«You can tell from the news article that builds it that way,» Hawley said. «They criticize the court for how they’re managing their docket. They say this is some big conspiracy. The only conspiracy is the multi-year effort funded by somebody to undermine the institution of the court from within, from without. … We need to find out who’s doing this.»
Shadow docket criticism
The emergency docket allows litigants to bypass lengthy court proceedings and seek immediate relief from the Supreme Court if lower courts block them through restraining orders or preliminary injunctions.
Democrats have criticized the Supreme Court for the higher frequency of emergency decisions, which often contain little explanation but have increased because of what legal experts say is a rise in executive actions in lieu of Congress passing laws. In Trump’s second term, the justices have ruled in favor of Trump on emergency decisions most of the time, clearing the way for Trump to fire masses of federal employees, cancel hundreds of millions of dollars in federal contracts, move forward with aggressive immigration policies and more.
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Last week, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, a Biden appointee, tore into the high court’s majority during a Yale Law School speech for issuing what she said were rushed, «scratch-paper musings» that advance «harmful» policies.
Ketanji Brown Jackson attends the 2026 Recording Academy Honors presented by The Black Music Collective during the 68th Grammy Awards on Jan. 29, 2026, in Los Angeles, Calif. (Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
Upon introducing a bill to «increase transparency» of the emergency docket in December, Rep. Jamie Raskin, the leading Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, said the Supreme Court was losing credibility by not allowing cases to first play out in the lower courts.
«The Roberts Court’s reliance on the Shadow Docket to covertly fast-track one-paragraph decisions on major cases drives tremendous mistrust toward Justices already facing record-low levels of public confidence,» Raskin said at the time.
Roberts the ‘bulldozer’
The Clean Power Plan would have involved the Obama Environmental Protection Agency imposing regulations on coal-powered plants under the Clean Air Act, a move that red states and industry groups implored the Supreme Court to quickly stop in 2016. Roberts, an appointee of former President George W. Bush, wrote, according to the memos, that without the high court stepping in, «both the states and private industry will suffer irreparable harm from a rule that is — in my view — highly unlikely to survive.»
The New York Times described Roberts as acting like a «bulldozer.» Blackman said «it’s very clear» that Roberts stepped in to stop the EPA administrator from ramming through a plan in Obama’s last year in office that could reshape the energy sector with only the «very liberal» D.C. appellate court weighing in.
In another memo, Justice Elena Kagan, an Obama appointee, disagreed with Roberts, saying «the unique nature of the relief sought in these applications gives me real pause.»
In a matter of days, the high court issued its brief, unexplained decision along ideological lines to temporarily block Obama’s plan. The move would become a death blow to Obama’s efforts because Democrats would lose the White House later that year.
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Blackman noted that accountability for leaking the private memos, which framed Roberts as spearheading a reckless decision, would be difficult, saying any possible crime would fall outside of statutes of limitations and that, outside of the possibility of attempting to disbar the culprit for an ethics violation, there was no real recourse, especially for conservatives seeking to punish a possible left-leaning leaker.
«If a liberal leaks they’ll get a medal,» Blackman said. «They’ll become a hero. They’ll suffer zero professional consequences. In fact, they’ll probably be better off.»
supreme court, judiciary, law, federal judges, democrats senate
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The Senate advanced a massive, Trump-backed housing package that proponents say will prevent the U.S. from becoming a «nation of renters.»
The upper chamber sent the 21st Century Road to Housing Act to the House on Monday after months of delay. After the heads of the House Financial Services Committee and Senate Banking Committee reached a deal last week, the package is on a glide path to President Donald Trump’s desk.
It’s the first major push by Congress to address housing regulations in decades, and one Trump has been calling on lawmakers to complete as the midterm elections near.
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The Senate advanced a massive, Trump-backed housing package geared toward lowering the costs of homes and supercharging the housing supply. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., pitched it as legislation to prevent America from becoming a «nation of renters.» (Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Protect Borrowers; Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Loaded with nearly 60 different provisions, the package broadly tackles rolling back some permitting regulations, launches several pilot grant programs to build, repair and push affordable housing construction, and blocks investors from buying up housing stock — a key provision pushed by Trump.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., one of the architects of the package, said the legislation was «not the federal government big footing local government,» but instead the federal government laying out tweaks to current programs and policies that «over time will make housing more affordable.»
«This is a housing package that will help increase supply and bring down costs,» Warren said. «One way is by beating back private equity, so they won’t invade your neighborhood, buy up all the houses, and turn America into a nation of renters.»
Warren said that among several things, the package increases access to manufactured housing by changing the federal definition to open up for more units to be constructed, pre-approved plan books for local governments to quickly approve new construction, and the waiving of some environmental review regulations for the construction of new homes.
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«It’s not just one piece that’s gonna solve a problem,» Warren said. »It’s a whole lot of smaller pieces that push in the same direction that’s important.»
The package also tries to turbocharge housing stock by tying federal grants and incentives sought by local governments to housing construction. And there are tweaks to mortgages, with a push for small-dollar mortgages at $100,000 and updates to lending standards for manufactured homes.
Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, whose provision to establish pre-approved housing designs to speed up home construction made it into the package, said the legislation «sends a signal to state and local communities, to say, ‘Hey, guys, you really have to drive down the cost of housing, and you do that by not torturing homebuilders.’»
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Sen. Bernie Moreno speaks as President Donald Trump hosts Republican lawmakers and auto executives in the Oval Office to announce changes to fuel economy standards on Dec. 3, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
While there are several moving parts to the 21st Century Road to Housing Act, it does not tackle every facet of housing costs.
For instance, it does not allocate fresh federal funding for the issue, as Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott, R-S.C., has lauded the package as being deficit neutral. Nor does it directly address rising costs of homeownership, given that much of the thrust is focused on building new homes and lowering the barrier of entry for Americans to get into a home.
And for some, it does not go far enough to address permitting issues.
Sen. Alan Armstrong, R-Okla., argued that the «legislation as drafted fails to meaningfully address» the issues of housing costs.
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«Instead, this legislation makes a half-hearted attempt to waive minor environmental laws while failing to address the need for permitting reform at large,» Armstrong said.
«Our permitting process deserves its own committed effort, and attaching weak slivers of those reforms to unrelated legislation undermines the work currently being done to pass comprehensive, meaningful permitting reform,» he said.
politics, congress, housing, legislation, senate elections, democrats senate
INTERNACIONAL
Ola de calor en Europa: dos nenes fueron hallados muertos en un auto en Francia y las temperaturas llegaron a los 43°C
El calor asfixiante que golpea el oeste de Europa se intensificó este lunes, especialmente en Francia, donde dos niños fueron hallados muertos dentro de un auto.
Se trata de la segunda ola de calor para millones de europeos en menos de un mes. Según el consenso científico, el cambio climático provocado por la actividad humana hace más intensos los fenómenos meteorológicos extremos.
El nuevo episodio, más extenso que el de mayo y que podría prolongarse hasta el fin de semana, recuerda la ola de calor de agosto de 2003 en Europa. Ese fenómeno provocó más de 70.000 muertos durante sus dos semanas de duración.
Niños y mayores fallecidos
Francia fue el epicentro este lunes, con temperaturas previstas entre 36 y 43ºC.
El servicio meteorológico Météo France decretó la alerta roja, la máxima posible, en la mitad del país, donde viven más de 35 millones de habitantes. El mercurio no debería bajar antes de finales de semana.
Altas temperaturas sofocan a los franceses (Foto: REUTERS/Abdul Saboor)
Dos hermanos de 2 y 4 años fueron hallados muertos este lunes dentro del auto de su familia en Carpentras, en el sureste de Francia, y la principal hipótesis del fallecimiento es “la ola de calor”, indicó la fiscal, Hélène Mourges.
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El domingo, tres personas mayores fallecieron en sus domicilios en el suroeste de Francia debido a las altas temperaturas, según las autoridades. Y otras trece se ahogaron durante el fin de semana en distintas partes del país.
La ministra de Sanidad, Stéphanie Rist, alertó sobre el enorme aumento de llamadas a los servicios de emergencia, aunque el sistema sanitario no estaría “particularmente bajo tensión” por el momento.
Aulas sofocantes
Más de 1300 de las 60.000 escuelas del país permanecieron cerradas este lunes, mientras que otros 4000 ajustaron su horario lectivo o sus instalaciones, según el ministerio de Educación.
Desde la semana pasada, otros centros educativos sugirieron a los padres que mantengan a sus hijos en casa o que los recojan a la hora del almuerzo para sacarlos de unas sofocantes aulas.
“Son las 10:00 y hace 38°C dentro del aula, así que los niños están fuera, no pueden quedarse”, dijo Sylvain Gigon, director de una escuela primaria en Tours, ciudad del centro de Francia, que batió su récord local de noche más calurosa con 24,8ºC de temperatura mínima. Un cartel luminoso ante una farmacia marca 37 grados Celsius (98,6 grados Fahrenheit) en París, el domingo 21 de junio de 2026. (AP Foto/Michel Euler)
Trenes anulados
La región de París anuló un tren de cada diez de manera preventiva. La víspera, la compañía SNCF recomendó a las personas “vulnerables” evitar tomar el tren.
En la estación de trenes Saint Charles de Marsella, en el sureste de Francia, las autoridades repartieron botellas de agua, abanicos y sombreros a los pasajeros antes de acceder al tren.
Más al norte, en Bélgica, esta semana podría ser “la más calurosa jamás registrada”, con una temperatura media superior a 27°C, según David Dehenauw, del instituto meteorológico IRM.
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Algunos trenes en horas punta fueron cancelados el lunes y el martes en el país, donde este tipo de transporte es muy utilizado, indicó la SNCB, la compañía nacional de ferrocarriles.
Retransmisión del Mundial cancelada
La ola de calor también golpea al resto de Europa occidental.
España enfrentó su segunda jornada de ola de calor con valores de “entre 5 y 10 grados superiores a los propios de esta época en general”, según Rubén del Campo, portavoz de la agencia española de meteorología Aemet.
Las altas temperaturas ya obligaron a cancelar el domingo eventos como la transmisión en pantalla gigante del partido de fútbol España-Arabia Saudita en el centro de Madrid.
En Portugal, se decretó la alerta naranja el martes en zonas del interior, mientras que Países Bajos se encuentra en “código amarillo” con temperaturas de hasta 37ºC de aquí a finales de semana.
Reino Unido decretó la muy poco común alerta roja por “calor extremo” miércoles y jueves en el sur del país.
(Con información de AFP)
ola de calor, Francia
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Latvian intelligence is warning that Russia is preparing possible military provocations against the Baltic states or Poland, including drones, missiles or other hybrid attacks, in an effort to pressure NATO countries to stop supporting Ukraine.
«We see indications that Russia is preparing military provocations against the Baltic countries or Poland — not a conventional war, because Russia is not capable of that right now, but hybrid attacks, such as missiles, drones or other actions designed to send a signal: stop supporting Ukraine, or you will have your own problems,» Latvian intelligence told Fox News Digital.
The most immediate concern, according to Latvian intelligence, is not that Moscow is ready for a full-scale war with NATO, but that Russian President Vladimir Putin could miscalculate because the surrounding institutions are feeding him the version of reality he wants to hear.
The Baltic states and Poland are NATO allies, meaning a Russian provocation there could quickly test America’s treaty commitments and risk a broader confrontation. It also comes as Washington and its allies weigh how far to go in supporting Ukraine and tightening sanctions on Moscow.
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Latvian intelligence argues that Putin is not only looking for ways to pressure NATO countries to back off Ukraine, but may also be receiving distorted assessments from inside his own system — raising the risk that Russia could misjudge Western resolve.
Latvian intelligence is warning that Russia is preparing possible military provocations against the Baltic states or Poland, including drones, missiles or other hybrid attacks. (Efrat Lachter)
«The biggest concern is miscalculation. Russian institutions are telling Putin what he wants to hear, and that creates a dangerous cycle that can lead to foolish and senseless decisions,» Latvian intelligence said.
«We see more and more signs that Putin wants to receive only positive news. He is isolated, and that makes decision-making even more problematic as decisions are not based on the real situation,» Latvian intelligence added.
The Latvian warning tracks with concerns raised by Polish officials during Fox News Digital reporting in June in Poland, where officials described Russia’s hybrid war against NATO’s eastern flank as already underway. Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Bosacki pointed to assassinations, drone activity, cyberattacks and attacks on critical infrastructure on NATO territory, including what he described as a Russian-instigated cyberattack on Polish energy infrastructure intended «to black out part of Poland.»
Amb. Krzysztof Olendzki also described the Belarus border as part of a Russian and Belarusian campaign to weaponize illegal migration against NATO countries.
Latvian intelligence also assessed that Western sanctions are having a real impact inside Russia, despite Moscow’s public claims that it has absorbed the pressure.
«Russia says publicly that sanctions do not matter, but its own internal assessments show that sanctions are biting,» Latvian intelligence told Fox News Digital. «They may not change Putin’s mindset, but they limit Russia’s financial resources and thus opportunities and force to make difficult choices regarding recruitment, military spending, and pressure on businesses. Its war economy is a crumbling ‘house of cards.’»
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Latvian intelligence also assessed that Western sanctions are having a real impact inside Russia, despite Moscow’s public claims that it has absorbed the pressure. (Sasha Mordovets/Getty)
The assessment comes as Latvia’s Constitution Protection Bureau, known as SAB, released a public report detailing how Russia is intensifying «lawfare» against the West — using courts, legal claims and international institutions to pressure Western governments, weaken support for Ukraine and create possible justification for more aggressive actions.
The report outlines Russian efforts to study Iran’s experience challenging Western sanctions through international legal mechanisms.
Russian experts have analyzed Iran’s 2016 case against the United States at the International Court of Justice and are looking for ways to adapt similar tactics against Western countries, according to the Constitution Protection Bureau.
«If you want to push Russia toward a peace deal that is acceptable to Ukraine and the West, sanctions are the right mechanism,» Latvian intelligence said. «We need more international pressure on Russia through sanctions.»
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The assessment comes as Latvia’s Constitution Protection Bureau, known as SAB, released a public report detailing how Russia is intensifying «lawfare» against the West. (Capt. H. Howey/U.S. Army)
The Constitution Protection Bureau also warns that Russia has prepared a complaint against the Baltic States at the U.N.’s International Court of Justice, formally accusing them of discrimination against Russians and Russian speakers. Latvian intelligence believes the legal campaign is not only about the courtroom, but about building a narrative Moscow could later use as a pretext for action.
«Russia believes the Baltic States are governed by pro-American elites who are disconnected from their own people. They made a similar mistake about Ukraine before the invasion, which is why this perception worries us,» Latvian intelligence said.
The Constitution Protection Bureau report argues that Russia is trying to turn propaganda into legal and political action. It describes Moscow’s planned complaint as relying on a «highly manipulative approach» to international law, including selective interpretations of international norms and what the report calls «imagined evidence» of alleged discrimination.
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«Currently, there are no military threats to Latvia,» its intelligence said. (Burak Akbulut/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The concern is that Russia could use those claims to justify pressure, intimidation or hybrid operations — the same broad logic Moscow used when it claimed it was acting to protect Donbas residents before invading Ukraine.
«Currently, there are no military threats to Latvia,» its intelligence said. «We are not concerned about a full-scale invasion right now. Russia would need three to five years, even if the war in Ukraine ended today, to rebuild sufficient capabilities. What worries us now are provocations — drones, missiles and other hybrid attacks.»
The Russian government did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
vladimir putin, nato, ukraine, sanctions, russia
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