Attorney Rob Hager returns to talk about key issues in the Montana appeal to the Supreme Court challenging Citizens United; public radio host Maureen Fiedler talks about religion in politics and politics in the Catholic religion. Hager, who won the Karen Silkwood case at the Supreme Court, offers expert commentary on the unusual and unexplained change in the case name of the Montana appeal, in a way that may allow the Court to sidestep the 11th Amendment ban on its jurisdiction in this case. He also talks about this article by Charlie Cray that covers the change in the case name, as well as speculation that Montana AG Bullock wants the Court to take the case to advance his campaign for Governor, not to get the best legal result. Hager thinks the Court may decide on Thursday, June 14, but may not announce its decision until next Monday. His comments about the credibility of the Court near the end of the interview are very important.
At 41:00 we are joined by Maureen Fiedler, a Roman Catholic nun of the Sisters of Loretto who produces and hosts the public radio program, Interfaith Voices. Your humble host helped her start the show 10 years ago. We talk about the so-called “war on religion” and the role of some Cathoic bishops in aggressive political action against marriage equality, contraception and abortion rights. We talk about the role of those bishops in the priest sex scandals, and their lack of credibility on sexual matters. We cover the scandals at the Vatican, and the Pope’s recent crackdown on American nuns for thinking independently of the boys in the hierarchy.
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