This Time, Roberts Sides with Conservatives to Blunt Election-Rule Tinkering

There are strict constructionists, but who knew Chief Justice John Roberts was a strict federalist?

That is one takeaway from the Supreme Court’s ruling Monday night, rendered as Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination was being approved by the Senate. In a 5–3 decision, the Court declined to endorse a federal district judge’s rewrite of Wisconsin State election law. This time, the chief justice joined the Court’s four conservative justices — Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh — leaving the three liberals in the minority, with Justice Elena Kagan’s dissent joined by Justices Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor).