Southeast
San Francisco law firm opens fellowship to all students after lawsuit alleging discrimination
A San Francisco law firm opened its fellowship to all students after facing a lawsuit alleging discrimination.
The American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAFER) filed a lawsuit Aug. 22 challenging the “diversity fellowships” offered by the international law firm Morrison & Foerster LLP.
AAFER is led by Edward Blum, the activist behind the Supreme Court case that banned affirmative action in college admissions.
AAFER’s lawsuit challenges the Morrison & Foerster firm’s Keith Wetmore 1L Fellowship for Excellence, Diversity, and Inclusion for discriminating against certain applicants based on their race as it seeks to include underrepresented groups, a document describing the fellowship on the firm’s website states.
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However, as first reported by the Washington Free Beacon, eight days after Blum’s lawsuit was filed, Morrison & Foerster removed the race and sexual orientation criteria on the application.
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The fellowship is now open to all law students with a “demonstrated commitment to promoting diversity” who “bring a diverse perspective to the firm.”
“The capitulation suggests that Morrison & Foerster, one of the country’s top law firms, is unwilling to go through the hassle of defending its race-based initiatives now that the legal winds have shifted. A day after the High Court’s decision, Morrison advised clients to take stock of their diversity programs and eliminate ‘unlawful preferences’ like ‘quotas or set asides,’” The Washington Free Beacon reported.
Morrison & Foerster did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Although Morrison & Foerster scrapped any reference to race or sexual orientation on their application, another law firm, Perkins Coie LLP, will defend its fellowship from an AAFER lawsuit.
Since the fellowship was limited to “students of color,” “students who identify as LGBTQ+,” or “students with disabilities,” AAFER alleges the fellowship violates the Civil Rights Act of 1866, 42 U.S.C. §1981.
When Blum filed the lawsuit in August, he released a statement, “Excluding students from these esteemed fellowships because they are the wrong race is unfair, polarizing and illegal. Law firms that have racially-exclusive programs should immediately make them available to all applicants, regardless of their race.”
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Blum added, “In dozens of polls, nearly 75-percent of all Americans, including majorities of blacks and Hispanics, believe a job applicant’s race should not be a factor in hiring or promotion decisions. These law firms are fostering policies that diminish individuals’ unique qualifications and accomplishments.”
Blum concluded, “Race and ethnicity are attributes, not accomplishments. It is the hope of this organization, as well as most Americans, that these law firms end these racial restrictions and open these fellowships to all qualified applicants.”
This comes after the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a major ruling on affirmative action in June, rejecting the use of race as a factor in college admissions as a violation of the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause.
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Southeast
Trump chats up Obama while Clintons, Harris, ignore president-elect at Jimmy Carter funeral
President-elect Trump and future first lady Melania Trump paid their respects to former President Jimmy Carter at his funeral in Woodley Park, Washington, D.C., on Thursday, where Trump and one of his most prominent political foes appeared to put politics aside.
Seated at the end of the second row of presidential and vice presidential families, Trump and former President Barack Obama shared several minutes of chatting and chuckling as the rest filed in.
Dressed in a dark suit and more subtle blue tie, versus his trademark red “Trump tie,” Trump filed in a little before 10 a.m. ET.
As he entered his row, former Vice President Al Gore smiled and quickly stood up and was the first to greet him.
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Gore, a Tennessee Democrat, did not have a significant other with him at the ceremony. He has been separated from former second lady Tipper Gore since 2010.
Notably absent were former Vice President Dick Cheney and former second lady Lynne Cheney. Trump has notably clashed with his fellow Republican leader, and Cheney notably called him a “coward” during his daughter’s (ex-Rep. Liz Cheney) doomed 2022 re-election bid in Wyoming.
As Trump entered his row, he shared a brief moment with his one-time ally and running mate, former Vice President Mike Pence. The two men’s relationship soured following the Capitol Riot on Jan. 6, 2021, when supporters of Trump threatened to hang the Indiana Republican.
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It was unclear what Pence said to Trump, but a rough reading of his lips appeared to say “good to see you.”
Former second lady Karen Pence notably remained seated and did not engage when her husband and Gore stood to greet Trump.
After the Trumps were seated, Obama arrived without his wife Michelle Obama by his side. Obama paused to share a quick jovial comment with former Vice President Dan Quayle.
Quayle — the first of the two Indiana Republican vice presidents of this generation — was seated on the aisle with former second lady Marilyn Quayle, who also sat next to Gore.
Soon after, former President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush arrived.
Bush appeared to receive the largest greeting of the living presidents assembled.
The Pences, Gore and the Quayles reached over to greet Bush. Meanwhile, Obama and Trump could be seen continuing their conversation unimpeded.
When former President Bill Clinton and 2016 presidential runner-up Hillary Clinton arrived, Trump and Obama largely ignored them as they chatted.
Former President Bush appeared to be the first to stand up when Hillary Clinton took her seat. Former President Clinton, who was recently hospitalized, appeared lively and healthy at the funeral.
Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Douglas Emhoff arrived next.
Trump did not visibly acknowledge Harris, nor Harris to him.
Emhoff looked straight ahead as Harris briefly looked over her shoulder and appeared to grimace when she saw Obama conversing with Trump.
Emhoff and Harris shared a brief smile before focusing on the somber event once more, as the Clintons could be seen reading through their programs.
When President Biden and first lady Jill Biden arrived, Trump and Obama did not appear to greet them, as Trump soon began chatting with Melania.
Jill Biden sat first, taking President Biden’s program off of his chair so he, too, could sit.
President Biden appeared to wipe a mark from his pant leg and lightly brushed his brow before looking straight ahead. None of the other families appeared to greet the Bidens.
Screenshots posted to X also showed outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau watching Trump as the president-elect filed in.
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Southeast
Federal judge strikes down Biden admin's Title IX rewrite
A federal judge in Kentucky blocked the Biden administration’s attempt to redefine sex in Title IX as “gender identity,” striking down the change nationwide.
The U.S. District Court Eastern District of Kentucky Northern Division made the ruling in Cardona v. Tennessee on Thursday.
“Another massive win for TN and the country!” Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said in a post on X. “This morning, a federal court ruled in our favor and vacated the Biden admin’s radical new Title IX rule nationwide.
“The court’s order is resounding victory for the protection of girls’ privacy in locker rooms and showers, and for the freedom to speak biologically-accurate pronouns.”
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., released a statement on the ruling.
“It is clear the Biden-Harris administration completely lost its way on Title IX. They betrayed the original intent of Title IX by removing longstanding protections that ensured fairness for women and girls. Good to see this harmful regulation overturned,” he said. “With President Trump and a Republican majority in Congress, we will ensure women and girls have every opportunity to succeed on the field and in the classroom.”
The ruling came months after the Supreme Court rejected the Biden administration’s emergency request to enforce portions of a new rule that would have included protections from discrimination for transgender students under Title IX.
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The sweeping rule was issued in April and clarified that Title IX’s ban on “sex” discrimination in schools covers discrimination based on gender identity, sexual orientation and “pregnancy or related conditions.”
The rule took effect Aug. 1, and, for the first time, the law stated that discrimination based on sex includes conduct related to a person’s gender identity.
It led to more than two dozen attorneys general suing over the rule, arguing it would conflict with some of their state laws that block transgender students from participating in women’s sports.
“When Title IX is viewed in its entirety, it is abundantly clear that discrimination on the basis of sex means discrimination on the basis of being a male or female,” the court’s opinion read. “As this Court and others have explained, expanding the meaning of ‘on the basis of sex’ to include ‘gender identity’ turns Title IX on its head.
“While Title IX sought to level the playing field between men and women, it is rife with exceptions that allow males and females to be separated based on the enduring physical differences between the sexes.”
Kristen Waggoner, president, CEO and general Counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom, said in a statement the ruling was a “colossal win for women and girls” in the U.S.
“The Biden administration’s radical attempt to redefine sex not only tossed fairness, safety, and privacy for female students out the window, it also threatened free speech and parental rights,” she added. “With this ruling, the federal court in Kentucky rejected the entire Biden rule and the administration’s illegal actions. We are thankful for the leadership of Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti and other state attorneys general who challenged this blatant overreach alongside our courageous clients.
“This ruling provides enormous relief for students across the country, including our client who has already suffered harassment by a male student in the locker room and on her sports team. The U.S. Supreme Court can further protect girls like our client by granting cases brought by the ACLU against West Virginia and Idaho laws that protect women’s sports.”
The decision came as Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., is set to push the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act to the Senate Floor.
A procedural vote on it will happen on Friday.
Fox News’ Julia Johnson and Chad Pergram contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
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Southeast
Laken Riley Act roils NJ governor’s race as 2 Dems skip roll: ‘The more someone campaigns the less they vote'
Two Democrats in the 2025 race to succeed term-limited New Jersey Gov. Philip Murphy did not cast votes this week in Congress on the Laken Riley Act, leading them to be lambasted by gubernatorial candidates from both parties.
The House Clerk’s office recorded Reps. Mikie Sherrill of Essex and Josh Gottheimer of Bergen County recorded as “not voting” on the landmark bill, which would require illegal immigrants convicted of theft-related crimes be detained by municipal and state authorities.
The bill takes its name from a young woman murdered by an illegal immigrant in Georgia who had been previously arrested and released on lesser charges.
Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop exclaimed, “This is cowardly,” in an X post.
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“We lose elections when we don’t have any core convictions… when we can’t explain why we have a view and why we believe in it. Hiding is not an answer that wins elections,” the Democrat said.
“Mikie and Josh are the same again – If you don’t have the courage to vote for a bill then what does that say about your courage to lead as Governor?” Fulop added.
Meanwhile, former Republican Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli slammed the two lawmakers from their right.
“Shame on [Josh and Mikie] for gutlessly ducking a vote on the Laken Riley Act today,” said Ciattarelli.
On X, Ciattarelli said Riley “fought till her last breath against a murderous illegal immigrant, but Josh/Mikie didn’t have the courage to stand up to their extreme far left base.”
Ciattarelli ran against Murphy in 2021 and nearly defeated him by Garden State standards, losing by less than three points. In November, President-elect Trump only lost the state by four points, leading the GOP to signal their optimism about flipping Trenton red this fall.
When the bill last came up for a vote, Gottheimer voted “yea,” and a spokesman told the Philadelphia Inquirer he would have supported the bill this week if he had voted.
New Jersey’s three Republican congressmen – Reps. Christopher Smith, Jeff Van Drew and Tom Kean Jr. – all voted for the Laken Riley Act.
Democratic Reps. Nellie Pou, Frank Pallone, Herbert Conaway, LaMonica McIver, Donald Norcross and Rob Menendez Jr. all voted against it.
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Republican Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia – who is not running for governor – torched the pair on Wednesday with a quip:
“The Road to Drumthwacket is paved with flat squirrels who couldn’t make a decision,” she said, referring to the historic governor’s mansion near Princeton.
State Sen. Jon Bramnick, a GOP gubernatorial candidate, told Fox News Digital on Thursday that a lawmaker’s first responsibility is to their constituents, not their next campaign.
“I think you have to have campaign activities come secondary to your responsibility,” Bramnick said when asked about Gottheimer’s and Sherrill’s non-votes.
“The key question is – if you’re going to run – campaign activities must be secondary to your voting,” adding that systemically it seems “the more [someone] campaigns the less they vote.”
Bramnick, who is also an attorney in Plainfield, added that he couldn’t assume what was on the two Democrats’ minds in terms of their vote, but that immigration is a hot issue and often difficult to navigate.
With the Laken Riley Act scoring 48 Democratic “yea’s,” Bramnick said immigration is a bipartisan issue.
If elected governor, he said he would “follow the law” when asked how he would approach President-elect Trump or border czar-designate Tom Homan.
“Unfortunately, the Congress hasn’t done anything to [create] a path to citizenship for people who may have an opportunity to stay here,” he said, discussing those who have lived in the U.S. for many years as otherwise law-abiding members of their communities.
“If America doesn’t like the law, change it, but state-by-state shouldn’t change the law based on how they feel on the issue.”
Sherrill and Gottheimer did not immediately respond to inquiries made via their campaigns.
Another Democrat in the race, Ras Baraka – mayor of the state’s largest city, Newark – also did not respond.
Baraka, however, separately indicated he would have voted against the Laken Riley Act if he were in Congress.
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