The Supreme Court heard arguments on Tuesday in a case looking at an obstruction law used to prosecute hundreds of Jan. 6 rioters. The obstruction statute is also key to various legal challenges facing former President Donald Trump. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Politico’s Kyle Cheney, who has been following the Jan. 6 legal fallout.
View the transcript of the story.
Discussion Questions
- What is the obstruction law being used to charge Jan. 6 defendants?
- Why was the obstruction law originally written?
- Who has brought this case to the Supreme Court to challenge the obstruction law in question?
- How did the Supreme Court justices seem to respond to arguments that the obstruction law applied?
- When and how did Donald Trump allegedly obstruct the business of Congress, according to the special prosecutor charging him with crimes?
Focus Questions
- Do you think Jan. 6 defendants should be charged with obstructing the business of Congress by occupying the capitol while electoral votes were being confirmed?
- What might make these cases different from other cases of interrupting public officials?
- Media literacy: Who else might you want to hear from to better understand why these charges have been brought against Jan. 6 defendants?
Extension Activity
What exactly happened on Jan. 6? You can learn more by reading through this explainer that examines evidence brought to light by the January 6 Congressional Committee. You can also check out Share My Lesson's collection: Threats to Democracy.
Republished with permission from PBS NewsHour Classroom.
The Supreme Court: Balancing the Branches Lesson Plans
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