A STANDING OVATION

 A standing O is not newsworthy unless it occurs in the Supreme Court and all 9 justices join in. 

That was the scene on Monday as assistant solicitor general Edwin S Kneedler presented his 160th argument on behalf of the United States.  After he finished CJ Roberts called him back to the podium to recognize his achievement and note that it was Kneedler’s last argument. From The NY Times: 

You have just presented your 160th argument before this court, and I understand it is intended to be your last,” the chief justice told the lawyer, Edwin S. Kneedler, who is retiring as a deputy solicitor general. “That is the record for modern times.

…

Kannon Shanmugam, a veteran Supreme Court lawyer, said it was “one of the most electric moments I’ve ever seen in the courtroom.”

The tribute to Mr. Kneedler’s candor and integrity came against the backdrop of a different kind of courtroom behavior. In the early months of the second Trump administration, its lawyers have been accused of gamesmanship, dishonesty and defiance, and have been fired for providing frank answers to judges.Mr. Kneedler presented a different model, former colleagues said.“Ed is the embodiment of the government lawyer ideal — one whose duty of candor to the court and interest in doing justice, not just winning a case, always carried the day,” said Gregory G. Garre, who served as solicitor general under President George W. Bush

We won’t see a lawyer like him representing the United States again for several years sadly. In other news over 100 lawyers in the DOJ civil rights division have resigned rather than represent the division’s new mandate of making sure men don’t compete in women’s sports. Yes we are not making that up. The sections that enforce anti-discrimination laws and prosecute police brutality have been eviscerated.  But the anti trans section is fully staffed and working hard. 

Don’t believe us? Check this out 

https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/28/politics/justice-department-civil-rights-division-resignations/index.html

And from the Washington Post: 

In one of her first acts, Dhillon changed the mission statements for many of division offices to align with Trump executive orders with titles such as “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling,” “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” and “Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias.”