This week the Justice Beat focuses on the politics of law, climate activists… and self-promotes a little
Exposed – the politics of law
Emily Dugan, the BuzzFeed journalist who’s proved to be a relentless, knowledgeable advocate for fairer access to the legal system, has today exposed possible political interference in the decisions around granting legal aid to those challenging the government. The government denied any suggestion of political interference, but BuzzFeed’s analysis of three controversial cases turned down for legal aid show a different story.
Meanwhile in the US, the confirmation hearings of Brett Kavanaugh continue to show a dark side of politicking around the law. This week, Donald Trump has mocked the testimony of sexual assault survivor Christine Blasey Ford; former US Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens has said that Kavanaugh is not fit for the highest bench; and in an extraordinary opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal, Kavanaugh himself tried to reassure senators he has a proper judicial temperament, writes the New York Times (WSJ piece linked in the article), as a crucial Senate vote is planned for this morning.
Climate activists
The UK shale industry’s long-delayed fracking drive will begin again next week, after Cuadrilla confirmed it will start fracking in Lancashire within days, write the Guardian. In response, local resident and grandfather Bob Dennett, who lives 3 miles from the proposed fracking site, issued an emergency injunction yesterday to stop operations on the site, for which he is raising funds on CrowdJustice.
We loved this New Yorker article about a 15-year-old Swedish climate activist who is changing behaviours around the politics of climate change. Greta Thunberg, who has autism, has been protesting on the steps of Swedish parliament for nearly a month. Masha Gessen of the New Yorker writes: “Thunberg’s is a voice of unaccommodating clarity that reminds me of Soviet-era dissidents. I suspect that some of them were also on the spectrum, which in their case meant acting irrationally in the framework of the Soviet system—risking their lives to make the doomed demand that the country act in accordance with its written laws and declared ideals.”
FT Innovative Lawyers Awards
CrowdJustice was thrilled to be shortlisted for two awards last night at the FT Innovative Lawyers Awards: for Increasing Access to Justice; and as Legal Innovator of the Year. Our founder Julia Salasky won the latter award, with the FT judges noting that CrowdJustice had opened up new legal avenues to those seeking access to justice.
This week on CrowdJustice, Dr Matthew Davies launched a campaign over the funding of NHS General Practice, Friends of Finsbury Park are pursuing legal action to protect the park from over-commercialisation, and the Free Representation Unit seeks funding to support disabled people through social security appeals in tribunal.