Supreme Court Hands Big Win To Kamala

The Supreme Court’s recent decision to deny the Biden administration’s request to partially lift the ban on enforcing its new Title IX education discrimination rules is being viewed as a strategic advantage for Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign, according to legal experts.

On the conservative-focused podcast, legal commentator Michael Popok highlighted the unexpected nature of the August ruling. This decision came during a time when the Supreme Court is typically in recess, and it blocked the Department of Education from implementing the Biden administration’s new regulations to the landmark civil rights law from 1972. Title IX was originally designed to prohibit sex-based discrimination in educational programs receiving federal funding.

The Biden administration introduced significant revisions to Title IX, which went into effect on August 1, broadening its scope to include discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. These updates have faced resistance from 26 states, where Republican attorneys general have challenged the new provisions. The administration sought an emergency ruling from the Supreme Court to bypass these state-level objections.

In a close 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court determined that the administration had not sufficiently justified overturning the lower courts’ interim conclusions, which suggested that the contested provisions might be unlawful and interconnected with other aspects of the rule.

Popok suggested that this ruling could bolster Harris’s campaign, positioning her as a defender of progressive values. He noted that Harris could use this decision to highlight the perceived threats to reproductive rights and gender identity protections if Donald Trump were to win in 2024.

“This decision could indeed be a boon for Kamala Harris,” Popok remarked. “It allows her and her team to emphasize their commitment to protecting transgender rights and reproductive freedoms, making these issues central to their campaign narrative.”

Furthermore, the upcoming election could play a pivotal role in shaping the Supreme Court, as the next president may have the opportunity to appoint justices, impacting the conservative-majority bench. This could be significant, given the Court’s controversial decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in June 2022, which ended the national right to abortion.

While the Supreme Court’s ruling delays the implementation of the new Title IX regulations, it does not end the ongoing legal battles. These cases will now return to the lower courts for further adjudication.

Despite the setback, a Department of Education spokesperson reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to defending the new Title IX rules. “While we do not agree with this ruling, we stand by the final Title IX regulations released in April 2024 and will continue to defend these rules in expedited litigation,” the spokesperson stated. “We are dedicated to ensuring that all students experience the Title IX guarantee of nondiscrimination in education.”