Today in Supreme Court History: October 20, 1973

10/20/1973: The Saturday Night Massacre occurs.

President Richard Nixon

Comments

[Dan Schiavetta]

United States v. Sandoval, 231 U.S. 28 (decided October 20, 1913): Congress can makes laws as to Indian lands (here, a prohibition on bringing in liquor) over the head of the state involved (here, New Mexico) (contains extensive anthropological "testimony" as to Native Americans, summarized in this charming description: "Always living in separate and isolated communities, adhering to primitive modes of life, largely influenced by superstition and fetichism [sic], and chiefly governed according to the crude customs inherited from their ancestors, they are essentially a simple, uninformed, and inferior people")

McCarthy v. Arndstein, 266 U.S. 34 (decided October 20, 1924): debtor testifying in bankruptcy proceeding enjoys Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination (though the rest of the experience probably wasn't too "enjoy"able)

Colorado v. Bannister, 449 U.S. 1 (decided October 20, 1980): warrantless search and arrest were permissible; cop was legitimately on side of car to give driver a ticket (after stopping him for speeding) and saw lug wrench and nuts on floor and in open glove compartment, and driver and his companion matched description of men wanted for stealing car parts (when they saw they were being followed, couldn't these guys have thrown this stuff under the seat; or maybe eaten it? see this clip from "The Groove Tube", fondly remembered from my high school days https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCzuiqtiWeo )

[David Nieporent]

“Always living in separate and isolated communities, adhering to primitive modes of life, largely influenced by superstition and fetichism [sic], and chiefly governed according to the crude customs inherited from their ancestors, they are essentially a simple, uninformed, and inferior people”)

Sounds like something Kirkland would post.

[Dan Schiavetta]

This does, quite frankly, largely describe Trump voters. It does not describe Biden voters.

[not guilty]

Robert Bork has said President Nixon promised him the next Supreme Court vacancy after Bork complied with Nixon’s order to fire Watergate the special prosecutor. https://www.politico.com/story/2013/02/bork-nixon-offered-next-high-court-vacancy-in-73-088086 It is good that Nixon resigned before that came to pass.

[Syd Henderson]

Given the politics of the time, I'm sure he would have been shot down by angry Democrats.

[Enrique]

Also on this day (20 Oct 1803), the senate ratifies the Louisiana Purchase: https://priorprobability.com/2022/10/20/happy-louisiana-purchase-day-2/