The bench won’t be bullied by that bully pulpit
Beechhurst: In its majority 6-3 ruling in the Learning Resources, Inc. vs. Trump case, the Supreme Court justices utilized the court’s major questions doctrine (based on the principle of administration law requiring agencies to have clear, explicit congressional authorization when regulating matters of vast economic or political significance) to strike down the administration’s unity-executive-theory overreach with respect to its unlimited implementation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (1977) to carry out the across-the-board and willy-nilly whims of “Tariff Man” (“The court says no to Trump,” editorial, Feb. 22).
Just as in West Virginia vs. EPA (2022), where the court, utilizing the aforementioned major doctrine questions doctrine, ruled that the President Barack Obama-era Clean Power Plan exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency’s power under the Clean Air Act, the Supremes in this equally profound tariff case upheld our bedrock constitutional principle of separation of powers.
At one point in 47’s State of the Union speech, when he vociferously voiced his disdain for the court’s decision, the cameras zoomed in on the faces of Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who didn’t do what the big guy wanted.
Their steely expressions said it all: Sorry, Charlie — here in America, we do not abide any kings. James Hyland
Demonstrated disdain
Yonkers: President Trump’s SOTU proved that the Democrats hate Trump more than they love America. They are fueled by hatred, greed and corruption and do not care about America or what is good for it. Chuck Schumer, you are a disgrace and the epitome of a sleazy politician. Nancy Maglari
Lethal & lawless
Warsaw, N.Y.: Long before the Minneapolis murders, an ICE agent killed a U.S. citizen in his car in South Padre Island, Texas. The official story — that 23-year-old Ruben Ray Martinez hit an ICE officer with his vehicle at a traffic stop — is one of ICE’s go-tos that has been repeatedly dismissed in court recently. But in March 2025 in Texas, no organized civilian ICE Watch existed to collect independent evidence, and while Ruben’s passenger witness declared every statement made by ICE a lie, he died in a car crash before he could testify. ICE is everywhere, not just big, blue cities. What other murders is ICE hiding? Sen. Schumer, we support the Department of Homeland Security shutdown. Stay strong and keep your caucus focused. This is truly a matter of life and death. Lynn Saxton
Stand-up state
Manhattan: Forty ICE lawyers are opening an office on ICE fan Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s turf. Rep. Tom Suozzi is pointing out that a legal office is not a clerical backwater but a likely precursor of an ICE surge in Nassau. Gov. Hochul has made some tentative steps toward protecting New Yorkers from the renegade ICE raids supported by some areas’ local law enforcement happening all over the state, but Hochul’s plan wouldn’t eliminate the cooperation and collusion between ICE and local governments that disappear innocent people into an anonymizing and terrifying detention system. New York For All is a state bill that would extend the sanctuary protections of New York City to all immigrants in the state, critical workers, business owners, teachers, parents and children. No one should be kidnapped by masked men and thrown into detention camps. That’s government behavior many immigrants thought they had fled. Sarah Townley
Slippery streets
Brooklyn: Mayor Mamdani was on TV Sunday night and Monday preaching to all NYC residents (rightfully so) that it was unsafe to be out during the blizzard. However, Tuesday was safe enough for all students, parents and teachers to travel to schools after the blizzard dropped 15-24 inches of snow, and when temperatures were expected to fall to 15-28 degrees. Thus, streets and sidewalks were expected to be icy and unsafe. The decision for Tuesday should have been a common-sense one: remote learning. Instead, Mamdani made a poor decision to have in-person school. What irrational thinking this new mayor has shown! Where was the UFT president when this decision was made? C. Ranieri
Rankled rank and file
Brooklyn: The mayor lost unplowed Staten Island and the snow-balled pelted NYPD in one day (“Tisch: It’s a crime. Zoh: It’s no big deal,” Feb. 25). Andrew Cioffi
Soaring prose
Bayonne: It is when truly memorable sporting events occur, such as the U.S. men’s (and women’s) hockey teams’ overtime victories at the Winter Olympics, that Mike Lupica’s writing truly soars. His column on Monday (“Spirit of ’80, and Johnny, lives on,” Feb. 23) captured the essence of this milestone occasion and goes into my “best of” folder. Well done, Mike, and thank you. Marty Wolfson
Boys club
Bronx: No surprise that the men’s U.S. Olympic hockey team would be extended an invite to attend the president’s State of the Union address on Tuesday when the same invite would not be extended to the women’s U.S. Olympic hockey team, albeit both teams won gold in Milan-Cortina last week. I guess the president really needs to boost the ratings. Good luck with the whitewashing. Pamela Butler
Spotty streaming
Old Tappan, N.J.: For the past few years, I’ve been forced to watch the Yankees on Gotham Sports. This has to be the worst streaming service you’ll ever encounter. With all the money this organization rakes in, you’d think they could pay someone to get this right. The first exhibition game I tried to watch when home during the blizzard — out again. Oh, how I long for the good ol’ days when “The Boss” ran this team. Robert Riccardelli
Condemnation counts
Pleasantville, N.Y.: Hearing Voicer Nick Smith relate me to Mr. Magoo on this issue is downright insulting and low, even for him. It’s not easy for Israel to stop terrorists such as Hamas when they’re known to place their own civilians in harm’s way. Also, sources like the BBC and Al Jazeera are known for having biases against Israel, so there’s a chance that not everything they say about what’s going on is true. As for what goes on in the West Bank, such actions taken by extremists on the Israeli side are condemned by their own people. Meanwhile, I hardly hear any Palestinians calling out the actions of Hamas or any other extremist group on their side — because they know they’ll get killed if they do that, especially those living in the Gaza Strip, where Hamas rules with an iron fist. Tal Barzilai
Columnist’s catch
Bayside: Some of the most heinous crimes in NYC, which were also broadcast nationwide, were the Son of Sam murders. At the time, one of the Daily News’ greatest writers, Jimmy Breslin, was contacted by the suspect, thus using the media for attention. Breslin’s relentless reporting was so helpful for that monster’s capture. How the Daily News missed mentioning that in “Media’s input in hunt for Nancy” (Feb. 22) is puzzling. Mary Santora
