file was sent to the appeals court of texas. i thought we had so much evidence there is no way that we can. and then we basically was executed for late february twenty first two thousand and two. you know it was a sense of relief you know it's like all our bureaus exhausted we have a very left with some of the supreme court and you know live in order afterwards like. this it's like you know. in the beginning of two thousand and two this was the last chance the u.s. supreme court in washington is the highest in the land it is the only one capable of revoking a stiff made decision each year the supreme court's receives around one thousand mans from death row inmates and only two or three are accepted for thomas miller's defense a true race against death started so as a bow it was less than a week before the execution and the supreme court. announced that it would hear the case that was a huge relief. convinced that there was discrimination during the trial the supreme court demanded that the death sentence be reexamined but the te

court block of voter i.d. lot in texas? they are appealing to the supreme court and the texas attorney general at it is here next. >> unfortunately that, it was reported by a conservative newspaper not surprising. lou: misquote? is chairwoman denied calling the g.o.p. dangerous to israel. but she denies a lot of stuff. lucky for her we have her comments on tape. we will help her out to free your listening pleasure. the first day of the convention and a video that claims we the people belong to our government. >> that is the only thing we all belong to. >> they never to promises to be just as good will the big dog deliver? lou: we have just recede word if federal judge ruled arizona authority may question the immigration status of than a one lot officers stop expecting to be in the country illegally in accordance with the supreme court decision. the original judge that blocked the arizona law to block the show me your papers argument leads to racial profiling the original judge agrees with the supreme court to uphold the provision in her rulin

court block of voter i.d. lot in texas? they are appealing to the supreme court and the texas attorney general at it is here next. >> unfortunately that, it was reported by a conservative newspaper not surprising. lou: misquote? is chairwoman denied calling the g.o.p. dangerous to israel. but she denies a lot of stuff. lucky for her we have her comments on tape. we will help her out to free your listening pleasure. the first day of the convention and a video that claims we the people belong to our government. >> that is the only thing we all belong to. >> they never to promises to be just as good will the big dog deliver? want to try to crack it? yeah, that's the way to do it! now we need a little bit more... a little bit more vanilla? this is great! [ male announcer ] at humana, we believe there's never been a better time to share your passions because the results... are you having fun doing this? yeah. that's a very nice cake! [ male announcer ] well, you can't beat them. [ giggles ] ohh! you got something huh? whoa... [ male announcer ] hu

of the so-called race neutral alternatives. about 15 years ago, 1997, a federal appeals court in texas have said, you may not use race for affirmative action at the university of texas. the state legislature, a mexican american woman sponsored a bill, passed and signed into law by then gov. george bush that said the state is going to grant automatic admission to its public universities, including ut autin for the top 10% a graduate and all i schools across the state. and this really transformed education in texas. now mexican-american kids in the rio grande valley, in houston or dallas, worldwide kids across texas suddenly had an opportunity to go to ut austin. over time, the percentage of minority students coming into the school steadily rose. the classic race neutral -- those kids were getting in because they did very well in high-school. but in two dozen for, after the supreme court had narrowly upheld race-based affirmative action in degeneres to michigan's case, texas announced there were going to go back to using race, but for a very limited part of the class. only about one-quarter of the freshman class. three-quarters of the

on monday, the court of appeals changed course, ruling the government is immune from liability. a group of environmental activists in northeast texas say they have scaled 80-foot trees and are vowing to remain in an effort to block tree clearing equipment that is making for the southern leg of the controversial keystone xl pipeline. on monday, the eight protesters held a banner reading "you shall not pass" and said they will remain in the way into the controversial pipeline is stopped for good. the actions is the latest in a series of protests by pipeline opponents who say the project will poison local communities and damage the climate through increased greenhouse gases. the keystone xl pipeline would carry oil from the alberta tar sands to gulf coast refineries. president obama has delayed a final decision on the pipeline until after the november election. in undocumented immigrant from guatemala who only recently learned he was a survivor of a 1982 massacre, has been granted political asylum in the united states. oscar ramirez was just three years old when the u.s. backed death squad killed some 250 civilians and a guatemalan vi

of the eight states to enact strict voter i.d., either the justice department or state and federal courts have blocked it in three states. texas, wisconsin and south carolina, which is currently appealinglvania is pending. alabama and mississippi need the green light from the justice department. of the eight , only tennessee ad kansas will have to meet the new strict standards this november. >> we want to make it easy to vote or hard to cheat? we can do both. >> reporter: with both sides fighting against any voter being disenfranchised in november, neither is willing to give up a single vote. make sure to stay with cnn throughout the week for updates on this story. pennsylvania is expected to announce its decision on voter i.d. laws by tuesday. >>> the onions gallup poll says white rural americans prefer iran's president over president obama. we'll tell you who took credit for the phony story. >>> but, first, let's go to chicago. a man came up with the idea to open up a gym after he lost his job. as you see, it has a lot more to offer than just dumbbells and treadmills. chicago yoga instructor bret holten had no idea to be a small business owner until he lost his job. >> this gym actua

texas, they have a similar law. it was submitted by eight it including a court of appeals judge. record show their identification and it on someally it hard people. the head of the inublan party this saying shares would take certain voters out the polling places tells us right there that they think it will be good for them. it's no question that these laws favor republicans. it suppresses voter turnout. more typical for democrats. >> if you look at the supreme indiana inion on 2008, the majority onion 6-3 by that liberal john paul svens said it was absolute the constitutional and there was no reaso why should not be enforced andt was upheld, as will the others. >> the batting record right now is not so good. >> if you vote x and the oth a ringer or a dead have lost your vote. it has been canceled. it has an onerous impact, a on minorities.t >> fally, bradley birkenfeld helpered $104 million to how the swiss bank ups helping amemericans hide money fshore. he is currently residi in a halfway house after bring more thahan one year in federal locked up for his the tax evasion scheme.

texas, the have a similar law. it was greeted by a special panel including a court of appeals judge because the voter i.d. requires them to buy their identification. in some cases, it economically hits hard on some people. the fact that the head of the republican party in pennsylvania shared this law saying that it would take certain voters out of the polling places it tells us something right there. they think it will be good for them. >> it's no question that these laws favor republicans. it depresses voter turnout. it is more typically for democrats. >> is that what it is about, suppressing voter turnout? >> it the look at the supreme court indiana decision in 2008, the opinion was 6-3 written by that liberal john paul stevens saying it was absolutely constitutional. there was no reason it could not be enforced. it wasn't -- it was up held. >> the batting record is not so good. >> it if someone brings in a ring or a dead man and you have voted coming have just lost your vote. they cancel each other route. >> it has had an onerous impact, a disparate impact, on minorities. >> finally, bradley birkenfeld

of which are latinos and other minorities. texas says it plans to appeal thursday's ruling to the supreme court. tropical storm isaac is heading west after lashing the gulf coast for the better part of storm continues to show its wrath. the port of new orleans and the city's airport are expected to reopen today as the clean-up effort begins the new orleans mayor mitch landrieu said the city is not yet out of the woods. >> it is not over until the game is over. a lot of stuff can still happen. we know that because our past experience is, examples of how bad stuff has happened at this point in the storm. it is important for the people to remember, we're just in another phase. >> the obama administration has authorized royal dutch shell to begin preparatory activities for oil drilling in the arctic sea. on thursday, the interior department's said shell concerted operation, but must stop short of the actual drilling. the white house had said -- set a deadline and thursday's move suggests it will be approved. and do your report says iran may have expanded its stockpile of nuclear material of uranium e

if they cannot get to the department of public safety office in texas, for example, a poll tax so they can't afford to pay. i am delighted with the court of appealsecision because it is not a decision for african-americans. it is one for america. one vote, one person. i'm proud to champion that. president obama champions that because it was his department of justice that went about the country to challenge those votes. thank the people of ohio that retained their rights by voting against the state passed the kasich voting i.d. law, repressive voting i.d. law. when americans wake up and determine their voting rights are important, they turned that around. >> congresswoman sheila jackson lee, enjoy your time in charlotte. look! she wears the scarlet markings! out! your kind is not welcome here! nor your odd predilections! miracle whip is tangy and sweet, not odd. [ villager 1 ] it's evil! if you'd try it, you'd know. she speaketh the truth! [ villagers gasping ] reverend? ♪ can i have some? ♪ you know how hard if yit can be to breathedo, can i have some? and what that feels like. copd includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. spiriva helps control

it comes on the heels of a law that was passed by the state of texas back in 1997 following a decision by the local court of appealsnned the use of race in admissions. the state legislature essentially said if you graduate in the top 10% of your class, you are automatically admitted to the institution. that worked because -- >> american schools are diverse. >> the 10% law that admits the majority of students to the university of texas. the question is whether the separate admissions policy that considers race in an individualized way is constitutional. >> the facts are complicated because of a two-tiered admission thing. if you are not in the 10%, you can still get in. they use race as a factor. the court found it's a compelling state interest that the government has a compelling interest in promoting diversity. the means of doing that is taking race into consideration to ensure there's a diverse classroom. the plaintiff in the case, who is a white student who did not gain admission. there's a line of cases of white students who didn't get admissi admission suing saying i'm being discriminated against. there's a lo

texas will appeal two rulings that came down this week. on tuesday a federal district court said when the state of texas drew up proposed new electoral maps,discriminatory purpose. on thursday another panel of federal district court judges struck down texas's new voter i.d. law and said requiring voters who don't have one of the five specified types of i.d. to get an election identification certificate would involve financial costs that would, quote, impose strict unforgiving burdens on the poor. on tuesday, a federal judge struck down new restrictions on voter registration in florida clearing the way for voter registration efforts by the league of women voters and rock the vote, a group that focuses on signing up young voters. and yesterday in ohio, a federal judge blocked a new republican law that would allow early voting for only some ohio citizens, those in the military and those living abroad. the judge found the law unconstitutionally valued some votes above others. we know political incentives for voter disenfranchised for republicans. now we know the only hope of axis l access lies with the courts. i will begin with you, mr. bob he

some interesting case also of erase neutral alternatives, a federal appeals court said you may not use race at the university of texascited by give a under george bush to grant automatic admission to the top 10 percent graduates of all high-school so across the state. but now mexican-american kids and students in houston or dallas suddenly had an opportunity into goes to yuki austin. the percentage of minority kids come begin steadily rose. they did very well of high-school but after the supreme court nearly upheld race-based affirmative action in university of michigan and texas announced they would go back to using race for a limited part of the class. 25% of the freshman class. that come in under the review and university says we will consider a lot of things. we won some discretion. if there is interested in architecture or music we want to choose that child. they are defending race for a limited part. and abigail fisher was turned down striking me as good but not exxon. and then was turned down but she sued to think she would have a very strong claim but it is able to say race plays a role therefore i was discri

texas from implementing the same standard type of ballot. integrity safeguards by georgia and inn and upheld by the unindiana supreme court. and they will appealng important to remember, this was the second decision last week in which texas policy was deemed to have been violative of the voting rights act. the first was in the texas redistricting case. that one, a panel of judges, not one lone judge. two of the three lone judges were political appointees found the state legislature deliberately acted, purposefully acted, to make minorities worse off in redistricting plans. if you have an example where one state deliberately does something and undertakes an action of doing something, it's really hard to argue that voting rights act has outlived its usefulness. this proves the continuing need for the voting rights act. >> ah, texas. stay with us, more on voter suppression and the good news being made. but still, many, many states trying to keep voter as way from the polls. we'll talk about that next. [ female announcer ] how do you define your moment? the blissful pause just before that rich sweetness touches your lips. the delightful discovery,

of the so-called race neutral alternatives. about 15 years ago, 1997, a federal appeals court in texas have said, you may not use race for affirmative action at the university of texas. the state legislature, a mexican american woman sponsored a bill, passed and signed into law by then gov. george bush that said the state is going to grant automatic admission to its public universities, including ut autin for the top 10% a graduate and all i schools across the state. and this really transformed education in texas. now mexican-american kids in the rio grande valley, in houston or dallas, worldwide kids across texas suddenly had an opportunity to go to ut austin. over time, the percentage of minority students coming into the school steadily rose. the classic race neutral -- those kids were getting in because they did very well in high-school. but in two dozen for, after the supreme court had narrowly upheld race-based affirmative action in degeneres to michigan's case, texas announced there were going to go back to using race, but for a very limited part of the class. only about one-quarter of the freshman class. three-quarters of the

of a so-called race neutral alternatives. about 15 years ago, 1987, a federal appeals court in texas had said, you may not use race for affirmativeaction at the university of texas. the state legislature coming mexican-american women sponsored a bill, signed into law by then governor george bush and said the state is going to grant automatic admission including ut austin said the top 10% graduate in all of its high schools across the state. this really transform education in texas. now, mexican-american kids in the rio grande valley come african-american students in houston or dallas, moral white kids across texas suddenly had an opportunity to go to ut austin. over time, the percentage of minority students coming then steadily grows. those kids getting in because they did very well and has cool. in 2004, after the supreme court had narrowly upheld race-based affirmative action and the university of michigan case, texas announced that they were going to go back to using for a very limited part of the class. only a quarter of the freshman class. students come in under the race neutral plan. one quarter came in under this holistic

about a federal court blocking the texas voter id, and while it won't affect the 2012 election, it is likely the state will appeal. closing arguments again later this month, and with all of legal challenges surrounding the laws, it's hard to see how this issue lands before the john roberts supreme court. so, kenji. two things here, we have been talking about pennsylvania and ohio, neither one of the states are under the preclearance, but texas and south carolina is. explain to me the different courts in which these things will be challenged. >> yes, just to take a step back, we're under that voting rights act. there are certain states with such a negative history of restricting the franchise in the basis of race, they have to engage in preclearance. so texas and south carolina are two of them. the reason this isn't an issue in ohio or pennsylvania, those two states are not preclearance states. so voting rights do not control -- >> there were states in slavery, part of the union, and they didn't have a jim crowe industry. >> that's right, it basically places the onus on the state rather than the disen franchised individual to make their case. so what's been happening is t

of to texas because of rate-based criteria. kennedy will be the key swing state. the court will take up another indicate related to same-sex marriage. a case on appeal marriage act which the obama administration has said it will no longer defend in court. another appeal involves california's proposition 8 amending the state constitution so california would only recognize marriage between a man and a woman as valid and legal. >> this is one of the cases that you have seen it from the moment the cases started being filed this is a case that would be making its way not supreme court. the time is now. >> we could know by monday morning whether the justices have voted to take up either of those same-sex marriage cases. >>heather: shannon, thank you from washington, dc. >>gregg: we are following a developing story out of japan right now, a powerful typhoon hitting the southern saturday of the country. look at this amazing video. that is a car, yes, a car is being blown down the street like a toy. dozens have been injured so far. it caused massive blackouts, and parulidessing traffic. officials warning of mortar -- more of the heavy rain and surging people

court. when texas and florida, if they decide to appeal in the case comes and i'm sure we will have some of these state voter id laws, and the supreme court has not been done, they're going to the united states supreme court. they will look at the case of precedents. president does not mean that indiana applies to all of the other states. that is not what i said. >> okay. >> [inaudible] >> will we spend a lot of time on this. yes, we have. a lot of these are very big issues. another big issue is early voting. voter registration campaigns. every american is prepared to go to the polls with the knowledge and information so that everyone can have their balance ballots counted. >> i just want to make a distinction here so that everybody is clear, we have heard all this stuff about this -- last time i checked, there is no constitutional right to drive a car. to go to a nightclub. to do all of these things that you all are talking about. identification -- there is a basic democratic right to vote for you all to lump us together -- it is missing the point. >> i want to go back to hang out. they hav

of the so-called race neutral alternatives. about 15 years ago, 1997, a federal appeals court in texas said you may not use race for affirmative action at the university of texas. this did the legislature and mexican-american woman in the state legislature sponsored a bill signed into law by then governor george bush that said the state is going to grant automatic admission to its public universities including ut austin to the top 10% graduates in all of its high schools all across the state, and this really transformed education and access. now mexican-american kids in the rio grande valley, african-american students houston or dallas, rural white kids across texas suddenly had an opportunity to go to duty austin. and over time the percentage of the students coming into ut austin steadily rose and the alternative is those kids were getting in because they did very well in high school. but in 2004 after the supreme court had narrowly upheld the race-based affirmative action and the university of michigan case, texas announced that they were going to go back to using the rates, but for a very limited part of the class. it's only

court is asked to decide if they're going to hear the appeal through the ruling. affirmative action was originally brought by a white woman who claims she was denied admission to the university of texas because of her race. another big issue on the calendar, a key provision of the historic voting rights act of 1965 which calls for federal supervision of some states and counties with a history of discrimination. here in california governor jerry brown has a few more days to sign or veto the remaining bills on his desk. yesterday he vetoed a bill that would have banned disrupting cell phone service without a court order. that bill came after last year's decision by bart to cut cell phone service in an effort to disrupt a planned protest. brown said the bill could, quote, divert attention away from a true emergency by requiring the court order and he is urging the bill's author to amend it. >> california lawmakers will no longer get a break on the cost of vanity license plates. governor jerry brown has signed a bill ending the personalized license plate discount to current and retired lawmakers. right now members of the state legislature and congressional delegation pay $12 for vanity p

court blocking the texas voter i.d. law, it won't affect the 2012 election, but it is likely the state will appeal. with all ofing voting rules in so many different states, it's hard to see how this issue doesn't eventually land before the john roberts supreme court. and when that's the topic, we turn to kenji. so, kenji, two things here, we're talking about pennsylvania and ohio. neither one of those states are your honor the preclearance rules of the voting rights act. texas is, south carolina is. explain to me the different courts in which these things will be challenged. >> absolutely. just to take a step back for viewers, we're talking about the voting rights act of 1965, and under the voting rights act still in effect, under section 5, certain states have such a negative history of reflecting the franchise on the basis of race, they have to engage in preclearance before they make change to the election law. texas and south carolina are two of them. and the reason that this isn't an issue in ohio or pennsylvania is that those two states are not preclearance states. the voting rights act doesn't control th

court sets precedent. went texas and florida, if they decide to appeal and we will have some of these voter i.d.'s were justices have bought, they will go to the supreme court and look at the indiana case as precedent. is this not mean that indian applies all the other states. that is not what i said. >> got to put a pause there pretty quick. >> we spent an enormous amount of time on photo i.d., and that is a very big issues, but there is another issue, and that as early voting. the district -- voter registration, those rules have also changed. we need to make sure before we leave here we know all the changes that have been made in the middle of the game of the last few months so that every american is prepared to go to the polls with the knowledge and information so they can cast their ballots and hopefully have their ballots count. >> absolutely. congressman? >> i want to make a distinction here so everybody is clear, because we have heard all this stuff about a vacation is required for this, and last time i checked, there was no constitutional right to drive a car, to go to a nightclub, to do

united states supreme court we are just going to appeal for them to apply the same decision they rendered four years ago in the crawford decision if they' ply that to the state of texas i.d. law they should uphold our law as being just as constitutional as the indiana law. >> shannon: i say nine but you really only need five. we will it in to watch this it case and others that you have currently on their way to the supreme court. thank you, sir. >> thank you, shannon. >> shannon: libertarians taking more of the political spot light than ever more. be more on the impact of that group this foe and th novemberw fuhr of that party. >> i give to you the guy that is my hero, my father, ron paul. >> the 7,000 libertarians who packed the university of south, florida, sun dome for a tribute of ron paul may have witnessed the swan song for the texas congressman who turned 77 last week and is not seeking reelection in the house? >> is there anything left for me to say? >> indeed, there was as the federal deficit for an hour. hail -- claiming his own support was double or triple h his meagher vote count because paul libertarian followers "don't feel comfortable coming to a repub

courts have block td this in three states. texas, wisconsin, south carolina, which is currently appealing. pennsylvania is pending. alabama and mississippi need the green light from the justice department. of the eight, only tennessee and kansas voters have to meet the tough standards. >> we want to make it easy to vote and tough to cheat. we can do both. >> reporter: and with both sides fighting against any voter being disenfranchised in november, neither side wants to give up. some say it's an unnecessary attempt to roll back voter rights. will many, many voters be confused and unable to comply? joining me now is john avlon. listen to mrs. obama over the weekend. >> we cannot let anyone discourage us from casting our ballots. we cannot make anyone make it feel unwelcome in the voting booth. it's up to us to make sure that in every election, every voice is heard and every vote is counted. that means making sure our laws preserve that right. monitoring the polls to make sure every eligible voter can exercise that right. >> so john, so many new laws. so many different requirements now. poll workers are going to have a field day trying to figure out what it all means. is there the potential