Brennan Center at NYU Law | Used-to-be: Policy Director for Senator Amy Klobuchar + the Senate Rules Committee | VP @ Common Cause | Sr. Counsel to Representative Zoe Lofgren + House Admin Committee Dems | Special Counsel at the FEC | opinions are my own 🏳️‍🌈https://bsky.app/profile/stevespaulding.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/stevespaulding.bsky.social/post/3mvqtopxocc2oNEW: Today Marquette released fresh September polling on SCOTUS. Public approval continues to decline. 📉 But support for Supreme Court term limits remains strong & resilient at 79 percent—including supermajorities of Republicans, Democrats, and Independents. https://today.marquette.edu/2026/09/marquette-law-school-poll-finds-approval-of-united-states-supreme-court-declines-from-47-to-43/17 Sep 2026 23:47 +0000at://did:plc:m5rd36msfoqlm4o7afm4f2ch/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvqtopxocc2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/stevespaulding.bsky.social/post/3mvoslkxfas2xSomething the House of Representatives spent time on today before leaving until mid-November. 🦖🦕17 Sep 2026 04:22 +0000at://did:plc:m5rd36msfoqlm4o7afm4f2ch/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvoslkxfas2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/stevespaulding.bsky.social/post/3mvlz47p3rk2aNew Hampshire’s Chief Justice resigned today—the result of an investigation done pursuant to transparent, enforceable judicial ethics rules. By contrast, SCOTUS—the highest court in the land—has no such rules. That must change. https://www.nhpr.org/nh-news/2026-09-15/nh-chief-justice-gordon-macdonald-resigns-amid-ethics-probe-newhampshire-supreme-court16 Sep 2026 01:41 +0000at://did:plc:m5rd36msfoqlm4o7afm4f2ch/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvlz47p3rk2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/stevespaulding.bsky.social/post/3mvj5yk2jws2vGreat to join @katieleebarlow.bsky.social to discuss the @brennancenter.org’s recent report on the barrage of threats that federal judges and their families are facing at a time of democracy under strain. District court judges in particular are on the front lines of upholding our Constitution.14 Sep 2026 22:30 +0000at://did:plc:m5rd36msfoqlm4o7afm4f2ch/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvj5yk2jws2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/stevespaulding.bsky.social/post/3mvbn2lu3hk2z“Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”—Mr. Rogers11 Sep 2026 22:39 +0000at://did:plc:m5rd36msfoqlm4o7afm4f2ch/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvbn2lu3hk2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/stevespaulding.bsky.social/post/3muz4vorkxc2tThe Supreme Court has had its own building for only about 91 years. Kind of remarkable, when you think about it. Congress otherwise loaned the Court space in the Capitol, most recently the Old Senate Chamber.08 Sep 2026 13:28 +0000at://did:plc:m5rd36msfoqlm4o7afm4f2ch/app.bsky.feed.post/3muz4vorkxc2thttps://bsky.app/profile/stevespaulding.bsky.social/post/3muienfz6g22aThe AP covers the important research @brennancenter.org published this week about the barrage of threats and intimidation aimed at federal judges. Long term, there really can be a danger to the rule of law, as @gowriramachandran.bsky.social discusses below. https://abcnews.com/Politics/wireStory/us-judges-reveal-panic-buttons-private-security-chilling-13612566601 Sep 2026 21:32 +0000at://did:plc:m5rd36msfoqlm4o7afm4f2ch/app.bsky.feed.post/3muienfz6g22ahttps://bsky.app/profile/stevespaulding.bsky.social/post/3mugadadhdc2aThe @washingtonpost.com just covered a major new report that the @brennancenter.org published today. We interviewed 35 sitting & retired federal judges. What they told us was chilling: judges and their families are facing a barrage of threats to their safety. This must be addressed. [contains quote post or other embedded content]01 Sep 2026 01:09 +0000at://did:plc:m5rd36msfoqlm4o7afm4f2ch/app.bsky.feed.post/3mugadadhdc2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/stevespaulding.bsky.social/post/3mtwlq2ywis2fYes, the Supreme Court appears to be explaining itself more than it used to on select shadow docket cases. No, it does not mean all is well at One First Street NE. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/25/us/politics/supreme-court-trump-emergency-shadow-docket.html25 Aug 2026 19:51 +0000at://did:plc:m5rd36msfoqlm4o7afm4f2ch/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtwlq2ywis2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/stevespaulding.bsky.social/post/3mtungqi73k27Here's what happened today at SCOTUS re: voting ⬇️ [contains quote post or other embedded content]25 Aug 2026 01:16 +0000at://did:plc:m5rd36msfoqlm4o7afm4f2ch/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtungqi73k27https://bsky.app/profile/stevespaulding.bsky.social/post/3mtu2eity622uExcellent profile by the @newyorker.com's Margaret Talbot on the Chief Justice, including the reminder that he was once a strong proponent of term limits for federal judges so that they'd "not lose all touch with reality." https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/08/17/john-roberts-profile24 Aug 2026 19:34 +0000at://did:plc:m5rd36msfoqlm4o7afm4f2ch/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtu2eity622uhttps://bsky.app/profile/stevespaulding.bsky.social/post/3mtje2wokfk2eTerrific conversation with @brennancenter.org President @mawaldman.bsky.social, Sr. Fellow @kornbergmaya.bsky.social and former Congressman @tommalinowski.bsky.social on how to unstick Congress on The Briefing with Michael Waldman. Get it wherever you get your podcasts, or below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkV66hr9axI&list=PLBeVsyKQSVDL1p71FixntKwySu8y72Cbg&index=120 Aug 2026 13:29 +0000at://did:plc:m5rd36msfoqlm4o7afm4f2ch/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtje2wokfk2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/stevespaulding.bsky.social/post/3msli6aux6c2q08 Aug 2026 16:22 +0000at://did:plc:m5rd36msfoqlm4o7afm4f2ch/app.bsky.feed.post/3msli6aux6c2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/stevespaulding.bsky.social/post/3msgaqk4azs2t61 years ago today, the Voting Rights Act became law. Congress then reauthorized it five times—each time with overwhelming bipartisan votes. Then the Roberts Court started dismantling it. Congress must be repair & strengthen the VRA after the damage done by the Supreme Court.06 Aug 2026 14:26 +0000at://did:plc:m5rd36msfoqlm4o7afm4f2ch/app.bsky.feed.post/3msgaqk4azs2thttps://bsky.app/profile/stevespaulding.bsky.social/post/3msdnelcsyk25Tomorrow marks the 61st anniversary of the signing of the Voting Rights Act. I'm sharing some thoughts on what it can teach us about Supreme Court reform. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/what-voting-rights-act-can-teach-about-supreme-court-reform05 Aug 2026 13:34 +0000at://did:plc:m5rd36msfoqlm4o7afm4f2ch/app.bsky.feed.post/3msdnelcsyk25https://bsky.app/profile/stevespaulding.bsky.social/post/3msbbbbxkqk2qPublic opinion on the Supreme Court continues to decline. This is not healthy for democracy. Polls are one barometer to track over time, and we're compiling them here. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/public-polling-supreme-court04 Aug 2026 14:52 +0000at://did:plc:m5rd36msfoqlm4o7afm4f2ch/app.bsky.feed.post/3msbbbbxkqk2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/stevespaulding.bsky.social/post/3ms7qer627c2iAn evergreen observation, but this is beyond the pale. https://www.npr.org/2026/08/01/nx-s1-5912219/trump-truth-social-access-insider-trading04 Aug 2026 00:17 +0000at://did:plc:m5rd36msfoqlm4o7afm4f2ch/app.bsky.feed.post/3ms7qer627c2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/stevespaulding.bsky.social/post/3mrx3g2facs2uThis by @pewresearch.org is the third major poll this month showing rock bottom approval of the Supreme Court. Note the historic partisan gap in approval of the Court. It is not healthy to have this degree of polarization between Republicans and Democrats.31 Jul 2026 13:41 +0000at://did:plc:m5rd36msfoqlm4o7afm4f2ch/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrx3g2facs2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/stevespaulding.bsky.social/post/3mruwzk4ras2mRe-upping this Gallup poll from yesterday and the public's record disapproval of the Supreme Court. Note how 25 years ago -- when the Court handed the presidency to George W. Bush -- approval barely took a dip. Approval took a dive after Dobbs and it's only getting worse.30 Jul 2026 17:17 +0000at://did:plc:m5rd36msfoqlm4o7afm4f2ch/app.bsky.feed.post/3mruwzk4ras2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/stevespaulding.bsky.social/post/3mruo7a3jrs2sAmericans want to reform a political system that is not working for them. But constitutional amendments are not necessary for all of the very popular solutions that Pew is lifting up here. 1/ https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/07/28/most-americans-favor-big-changes-to-the-political-system-that-likely-would-require-amending-the-constitution/30 Jul 2026 14:39 +0000at://did:plc:m5rd36msfoqlm4o7afm4f2ch/app.bsky.feed.post/3mruo7a3jrs2shttps://bsky.app/profile/stevespaulding.bsky.social/post/3mrssyt4rjk2dLater this afternoon the Senate is going to take a cloture vote on a resolution providing for the “en bloc” consideration of 74 nominees. This is the result of Senate Republicans invoking the nuclear option last year to jam Trump’s exec noms through in one up-or-down vote.29 Jul 2026 21:00 +0000at://did:plc:m5rd36msfoqlm4o7afm4f2ch/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrssyt4rjk2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/stevespaulding.bsky.social/post/3mrs6xai3os26A great @acslaw event in FL w/ Judge Barkett on Congress, the Constitution and SCOTUS. Many thanks to Elliot Williams for moderating the discussion. Judge Barkett made plain that there’s no principled reason the highest court in the land shouldn’t have a binding ethics code. 1/29 Jul 2026 15:01 +0000at://did:plc:m5rd36msfoqlm4o7afm4f2ch/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrs6xai3os26https://bsky.app/profile/stevespaulding.bsky.social/post/3mrpofa45kk2gI’m looking forward to discussing Supreme Court reform efforts with Judge Rosemary Barkett (ret.) in a conversation moderated by Elliot Williams tonight in Miami. Thanks to our friends at the @acslaw.bsky.social’s South Florida Chapter for hosting!28 Jul 2026 14:59 +0000at://did:plc:m5rd36msfoqlm4o7afm4f2ch/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrpofa45kk2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/stevespaulding.bsky.social/post/3mrniv574rc2sThe photo below was taken 20 years ago today -- July 27, 2006. It's President George W. Bush signing the Voting Rights Act reauthorization and amendments into law. It passed a GOP-controlled House by a huge bipartisan vote of 390-33 and the Senate unanimously (98-0).27 Jul 2026 18:15 +0000at://did:plc:m5rd36msfoqlm4o7afm4f2ch/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrniv574rc2shttps://bsky.app/profile/stevespaulding.bsky.social/post/3mrgdjwdczk2nExcuse me? Will Chief Justice John Roberts — the Smithsonian’s Chancellor — be saying anything about this?24 Jul 2026 21:51 +0000at://did:plc:m5rd36msfoqlm4o7afm4f2ch/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrgdjwdczk2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/stevespaulding.bsky.social/post/3mrb7jmswwc2cToday Senator @whitehouse.senate.gov, joined by 10 other senators, introduced a bill to strengthen accountability for the Supreme Court. It’s time for Supreme Court term limits. 1/22 Jul 2026 20:56 +0000at://did:plc:m5rd36msfoqlm4o7afm4f2ch/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrb7jmswwc2c