Justice Stephen Breyer Announces He’ll Retire -- What That Means For The Supreme Court And Who Biden Might Nominate To Succeed Him
Liberal Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is retiring, giving President Joe Biden an opening he has pledged to fill by naming the first Black woman to the high court, two sources told The Associated Press Wednesday.
Breyer, 83, has been a pragmatic force on a court that has grown increasingly conservative in recent years, trying to forge majorities with more moderate justices right and left of center.
The sources spoke on condition of anonymity so as not to preempt Breyer's eventual announcement. NBC first reported the justice's plans.
Breyer has been a justice since 1994, appointed by President Bill Clinton. Along with the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Breyer opted not to step down the last time the Democrats controlled the White House and the Senate during Barack Obama’s presidency. Ginsburg died in September 2020, and then-President Donald Trump filled the vacancy with a conservative justice, Amy Coney Barrett.
Breyer’s departure, expected over the summer, won’t change the 6-3 conservative advantage on the court because his replacement will be nominated by Biden and almost certainly confirmed by a Senate where Democrats have the slimmest majority. It also makes conservative Justice Clarence Thomas the oldest member of the court at 73. Today on AirTalk Larry is joined by Kimberly Robinson, U.S. Supreme Court reporter for Bloomberg Law and Pratheepan Gulasekaram, professor of law at Santa Clara University.
With files from the Associated Press
COVID-19 AMA: Omicron Reinfections, “Stealth Omicron” Sub Variant, KN95 Masks For The Super Bowl, And More
In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with Dr. Dean Blumberg, professor of medicine and chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at UC Davis Children’s Hospital.
Topics today include:
- Study suggests more than two-thirds of Omicron cases are reinfections
- “Stealth Omicron” sub variant found in Santa Clara County
- Public health officials say Omicron has passed the peak in L.A. County but transmission rate is still worrisome
- Fans attending Super Bowl at SoFi will get KN95 masks and will be urged to keep them on
- When should a vaccinated person who recovered from COVID-19 get boosted? It’s complicated
- New research hints at four factors that may increase chances of long COVID
- Omicron’s spread underscores the potential consequences of the global vaccine gap, experts say
- Op-Ed: China’s zero-COVID policy is a pandemic waiting to happen
- It’s too early to say whether CBD helps against COVID-19
Why Getting Into Housing Is Just The Beginning Of The Transition Out Of Homelessness
When Fernando Maya received a hotel room of his own in June 2020 through California’s Project Roomkey, it seemed like he would soon be off the streets for good. But it was just the beginning. In October 2020, he made the transition into a permanent supportive housing unit, which pairs ongoing rental assistance with supportive services like case management, and substance abuse and mental health treatment. A month later, however, Maya was hit by a car while riding his bike. That led to a hospital stay. When he returned home, he relapsed into drug use. He started leaving his apartment less, became paranoid, and had trouble getting a job. The problems compounded, and while he contemplated returning to the street, he managed to stay in his housing, with hopes that 2022 will bring him more support in his journey to stay housed. As Fernando’s story illustrates, just getting inside can take years, but the story doesn’t end when you get there. California Divide reporter Jackie Botts profiled Maya’s 14-month journey in her recent piece, “One man’s lonely journey through California’s plan to end homelessness.”
Today on AirTalk, Larry is joined by Botts, Lisa Chilton, who lives in a permanent supportive housing unit in Hollywood, Benjamin Henwood, associate professor at USC focused on housing and integrative support for homeless individuals, and Dr. Jonathan Sherin, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health to talk about the challenges and promises of permanent supportive housing.
Can Cash Aid Assist In The Development Of Children Born Into Low-Income Households?
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States recently published a study that found a modest increase of baby’s brain activity when their mothers received a cash stipend. Researchers also found the modest change in brain activity was associated with the development of cognitive abilities such as language. The study also raises the question of what resources can help children in their developmental years.
Today on AirTalk, Larry discusses with neuroscience professor & co-author of the aforementioned study Kimberly Noble and professor of developmental psychology at the University of Kentucky Christia Spears Brown.