US Supreme Court Narrows Scope of Corruption Law Amid Major Abortion and Social Media Decisions

The U.S. Supreme Court reached significant decisions, including narrowing the federal corruption law in favor of a former Indiana mayor, considering emergency abortions in Idaho, and declining to limit the Biden administration's social media communications. Other notable developments covered include Paris Hilton’s call for foster care oversight and Biden's debate with Trump.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

US Supreme Court narrows reach of federal corruption law

The U.S. Supreme Court sided on Wednesday with a former mayor of an Indiana city who was convicted in a case in which he was accused of taking a bribe, in a ruling that could make it harder for federal prosecutors to bring corruption cases against state and local officials. The justices ruled 6-3 to reverse a lower court's decision that had upheld the corruption conviction of former Portage mayor James Snyder for accepting $13,000 from a truck company that received more than $1 million in contracts during his time in office.

US Supreme Court poised to permit emergency abortions in Idaho, Bloomberg reports

The U.S. Supreme Court appears poised to allow - for now - abortions to be performed in Idaho in cases of medical emergencies for pregnant women, according to an apparent draft ruling in the case that a spokesperson said was inadvertently and briefly uploaded to the court's website. The document was published by Bloomberg after the court issued two rulings earlier in the day, as the justices near the end of their current term with decisions in several major cases due to be announced in the coming days. The disclosure of the document represented another embarrassment for the top U.S. judicial body, coming two years after the draft of a blockbuster ruling rolling back abortion rights was leaked in advance.

Illinois man accused of Fourth of July shooting backs out of plea deal

An Illinois man accused of opening fire on spectators watching an Independence Day parade in a Chicago suburb two years ago backed out of a plea deal on Wednesday, local media reported. The suspect, Robert Crimo, 23, had been expected to plead guilty to seven counts of murder and 48 counts of aggravated battery during a court hearing in Lake County, the Chicago Tribune reported, citing the local state's attorney.

Paris Hilton calls for more oversight of foster care programs at US House hearing

Reality TV star Paris Hilton called for greater federal oversight of youth care programs at a U.S. House of Representatives committee hearing on Wednesday as she described her traumatic experience in youth care facilities. Hilton, 43, the great-granddaughter of Hilton Hotels founder Conrad Hilton, has spoken publicly about the emotional and physical abuse she endured when she was placed in residential youth treatment facilities as a teen.

Are you better off today? A question for voters as Biden, Trump debate

Perhaps the most famous one-liner in a presidential debate, Ronald Reagan's "Are you better off than you were four years ago?" question to voters in his match with Democratic incumbent Jimmy Carter in October 1980, came as high inflation pummeled consumers' spending power and captured a general malaise about the economy. As President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump head to the first of two debates ahead of their rematch this November, some version of that question may well come up or at least be on the minds of people taking stock of the past, very turbulent, four years.

US CDC narrows age recommendation for RSV shots in US

The U.S. CDC on Wednesday narrowed its recommendation for use of respiratory syncytial virus vaccines in older adults this year and held off on recommending their use for adults under age 60. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's decision echoed that of its panel of outside advisers who voted to recommend all adults 75 and older, as well as those who are 60 to 74 and have an increased risk of severe RSV due to medical conditions, receive the shots.

Biden supporters bank on debate with Trump to ease age concerns

For 90 minutes on Thursday night, U.S. President Joe Biden has the chance to show doubting Americans that, at age 81, he is capable of handling the rigors of another four-year term, when he faces off in a debate against Republican Donald Trump. A strong showing could help neutralize those concerns and focus voter attention on policy issues. A weak performance could dampen fundraising and push Trump further ahead in the polls.

US Supreme Court will not curb Biden administration social media contacts

The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Wednesday to impose limits on the way President Joe Biden's administration may communicate with social media platforms, rejecting a challenge made on free speech grounds to how officials encouraged the removal of posts deemed misinformation, including about elections and COVID. The justices, in a 6-3 ruling, overturned a lower court's 2023 decision that various federal officials likely violated the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment, which protects against governmental abridgment of free speech, in a case brought by the states of Missouri and Louisiana as well as five individuals.

US calls Julian Assange actions dangerous even as judge notes no victims

The U.S. State Department said on Wednesday that Julian Assange's actions put lives at risk even as the judge who accepted the WikiLeaks founder's guilty plea to resolve his case noted that no victims had been identified. A State Department spokesperson was repeatedly asked by reporters to give examples of harm caused by the WikiLeaks releases but did not provide any. The spokesperson said the department's involvement in the resolution of Assange's case was very limited.

Wisconsin's top court set to hear abortion rights case, Wisconsin Watch reports

Wisconsin's highest court is expected to agree to hear a lawsuit by Planned Parenthood asking it to recognize a right to abortion in the state, news site Wisconsin Watch reported on Wednesday, citing an unpublished draft decision that it had obtained. Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Annette Kingsland Ziegler in a statement said that the seven-member court was "shocked" by the leak and had asked law enforcement to open an investigation.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)