Abbie VanSickle
Abbie VanSickle is a reporter covering the United States Supreme Court for The New York Times. She graduated from the U.C. Berkeley School of Law and worked as a public defender in Washington State. She earned her undergraduate degree in journalism from Northwestern University. Before joining The Times, she was the lead reporter on a yearlong investigation into police dog bites for The Marshall Project, which won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize in National Reporting. VanSickle has also worked as a journalist for the Investigative Reporting Program at the University of California, Berkeley, and The Tampa Bay Times. She was born and raised outside a small town in Indiana but has lived in various places including Tampa, Seattle, Beijing, and most recently the San Francisco Bay Area. VanSickle is committed to high journalistic standards and protecting her sources. She does not accept gifts, money or favors from anyone who might figure into her reporting. She does not participate in politics nor make political donations.
Biography:
https://www.nytimes.com/by/abbie-vansickle
87%
The Daily's Verdict
This author has a mixed reputation for journalistic standards. It is advisable to fact-check, scrutinize for bias, and check for conflicts of interest before relying on the author's reporting.
Bias
90%
Examples:
- In her reporting, Abbie VanSickle covers the Supreme Court with a focus on the world of the court, including its role in politics and the lives of the justices. She examines how cases make their way to the court, the players involved and potential conflicts.
Conflicts of Interest
95%
Examples:
- VanSickle reports on potential conflicts of interest involving Supreme Court Justices, such as Justice Thomas acknowledging trips paid for by Harlan Crow for the first time after the trips spilled into public view following new guidance increasing requirements for when justices must report trips.
Contradictions
85%
Examples:
- In several articles, VanSickle reports contradictions made by Supreme Court Justices such as Clarence Thomas failing to disclose private jet travel for the July 2019 trip to Indonesia and Justice Alito's wife complaining about having to look at a Pride flag in her neighborhood.
Deceptions
80%
Examples:
- In some articles, VanSickle reports on deceptive practices used by individuals related to the Supreme Court, such as a woman posing as a Catholic conservative surreptitiously recording Justice Alito and Chief Justice Roberts.
Recent Articles
Supreme Court Reinstates Emergency Abortions in Idaho: A Temporary Reprieve from the State's Near-Total Ban
Broke On: Thursday, 13 June 2024The Supreme Court reinstated lower court rulings allowing emergency abortions in Idaho and other states with active bans, despite dissent from three conservative justices. The decision came after the Idaho Defense of Life Act criminalized most abortions, leading to a legal battle over emergency procedures. 
Supreme Court Blocks Purdue Pharma's Bankruptcy Settlement, Leaving Opioid Victims in Limbo
Broke On: Thursday, 27 June 2024The Supreme Court blocked Purdue Pharma's bankruptcy reorganization, preventing the Sackler family from being released from future opioid crisis liability. The decision is a major setback for victims seeking compensation and may lead to further delays in addressing losses from the opioid epidemic. 
Supreme Court Accidentally Reveals 6-3 Vote for Temporary Idaho Abortion Allowance: Implications and Ongoing Legal Battles
Broke On: Wednesday, 26 June 2024The Supreme Court accidentally revealed a 6-3 vote to allow temporary emergency abortions in Idaho, amidst ongoing legal battles over the state's strict abortion law. The document breached protocol and raised questions about transparency and decision-making processes within the court. Idaho doctors have been unable to provide stabilizing treatment due to the law, leading them to airlift patients out of state for care. A lawsuit against Governor Brad Little is ongoing, with implications for reproductive rights nationwide. 
Supreme Court to Hear Landmark Case on Constitutionality of Tennessee's Transgender Medical Care Ban
Broke On: Monday, 24 June 2024The US Supreme Court will hear a landmark case, United States v. Skrmetti, challenging Tennessee's law banning certain medical treatments for transgender minors. This marks the first time the justices consider statewide bans on transgender healthcare amidst increasing efforts to curtail transgender rights. Three teenagers, their parents, and a physician argue that the law violates equal protection by discriminating based on sex, with support from major medical groups and the Biden administration. 
Supreme Court Upholds Controversial Tax Provision: Section 965 and Its Implications on Individual Rights and Tax System Integrity
Broke On: Thursday, 20 June 2024The Supreme Court upheld Section 965 of the 2017 tax package, imposing a one-time tax on offshore earnings. The decision was met with mixed reactions, with some viewing it as maintaining fiscal responsibility and others as an attack on property rights. The provision, part of larger corporate tax cuts, raised questions about Congress' powers and potential implications for wealth taxes and income inequality. 
Supreme Court Strikes Down Federal Ban on Bump Stocks: A Victory for Gun Rights Advocates and a Controversial Decision
Broke On: Friday, 14 June 2024The Supreme Court overturned the federal ban on bump stocks, ruling that they do not convert semiautomatic rifles into machine guns. The decision came in response to challenges from gun rights advocates and gun shop owners who argued the ban exceeded ATF's authority. 
Supreme Court Upholds Access to Abortion Pill in Unanimous Decision
Broke On: Thursday, 13 June 2024The Supreme Court unanimously upheld the FDA's approval of mifepristone for abortion access, rejecting a challenge from anti-abortion doctors. The decision came two years after Roe v. Wade was overturned and preserves telemedicine and mail options for the widely used pill. 
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas' Undisclosed Trips on Republican Mega-Donor's Private Jet and Yacht
Broke On: Thursday, 13 June 2024Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas took undisclosed trips on Republican megadonor Harlan Crow's private jet between 2017 and 2021, including to St. Louis, Mont., Savannah, Ga., and San Jose, Calif. Thomas also stayed on Crow's mega-yacht during a trip to Indonesia in 2019. These revelations come after Thomas disclosed two previously undisclosed trips paid for by Crow and calls for an enforceable code of conduct due to ethical concerns. 
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito and Wife Martha-Ann's Controversial Remarks on Pride Flag and Media Organizations Surface in Separate Recordings
Broke On: Tuesday, 11 June 2024Two recordings have emerged, one featuring Martha-Ann Alito expressing displeasure over a Pride flag in her neighborhood and suggesting flying a Sacred Heart of Jesus flag as a response. The other recording captures Justice Samuel Alito criticizing media organizations like ProPublica for their reporting on Supreme Court ethics. Both recordings were obtained without consent, raising ethical concerns. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito's Wife Martha-Ann Expresses Frustration and Desire for Legal Action in Recorded Conversations
Broke On: Tuesday, 11 June 2024Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito and his wife, Martha-Ann Alito, face controversy over flags at their residences, with criticism for displaying flags associated with right-wing movements questioning the 2020 election results. Martha-Ann expresses frustration towards critics and plans to sue media for defamation. At a Supreme Court event, Justice Alito discusses the potential winning side in America's political differences and agrees with a woman's suggestion that the nation should return to a place of godliness, while Chief Justice John Roberts rejects this idea. Martha-Ann Alito is known for her political rants and feels excluded by D.C. elite.