Nightly Brief

Your Wednesday night briefing from the staff of Courthouse News

Top CNS stories for today including attorneys for Paul Manafort facing an uphill battle in trying to argue that the government conducted an unconstitutional search on the former Trump campaign manager’s storage unit; a federal judge rules President Donald Trump’s Twitter account isn’t a Constitution-free zone; a former Georgia state solicitor general and current state Supreme Court judge assures senators she is mindful of the difference between a judge and advocate and promised to make that transition fully if confirmed to the 11th Circuit; former Georgia House minority leader Stacey Abrams won the Democratic primary in Georgia’s gubernatorial race Tuesday, becoming the first black woman to be a major party candidate for governor in America; the Ninth Circuit berates a district court judge as it overturned a series of lower court decisions bringing clarity to a complex water rights issue in northern Nevada; conservationists petition the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on to ban two chemicals found in sunscreen that are known to irreparably damage coral reefs; researchers at the University of Tokyo finds rice grown in an environment with higher concentrations of carbon dioxide has fewer nutrients, and more.

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**National **

1.) Attorneys for Paul Manafort faced an uphill battle Wednesday in trying to argue that the government conducted an unconstitutional search on the former Trump campaign manager’s storage unit.

2.) A lawyer for President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner, said her client has been interviewed a second time by Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s team.

3.) President Donald Trump’s Twitter account isn’t a Constitution-free zone, a federal judge ruled on Wednesday.

5.) Although the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to bar reporters from AP, CNN and other news outlets from a water contamination summit Tuesday dominated coverage of the event, attendees say the meeting was a milestone in addressing an issue that has led to the shutting down of community water supplies nationwide.

6.) A former Georgia state solicitor general and current state Supreme Court judge told senators on Wednesday she is mindful of the difference between a judge and advocate and promised to make that transition fully if confirmed to the 11th Circuit.

**Regional **

7.) Former Georgia House minority leader Stacey Abrams won the Democratic primary in Georgia’s gubernatorial race Tuesday, becoming the first black woman to be a major party candidate for governor in America.

8.) The Association of American Railroads sued Kentucky to protect its right to block road crossings, despite criminal citations and protests in a small town whose residents say trains block them for hours at a time.

9.) The Ninth Circuit berated a district court judge as it overturned a series of lower court decisions on Tuesday, bringing clarity to a complex water rights issue in northern Nevada.

10.) Backed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio, 16 Democratic voters sued Governor John Kasich and other Republican lawmakers on Wednesday, claiming the GOP manipulated the congressional map to such a degree that it no longer reflects the political will of Ohioans.

11.) Viacom has established trademark rights to the fictional restaurant The Krusty Krab where animated chef SpongeBob SquarePants is known for dishing out tasty burgers, the Fifth Circuit affirmed Tuesday, so an aspiring restaurateur cannot use the name for seafood diners.

**Science **

Deep sea coral and fish [photo credit: Papahanaumokuakea National Monument]

13.) A trove of ancient fossils in central Spain has given scientists clues about the behaviors and diets of long-extinct animals, according to a study published Wednesday.

14.) Rice grown in an environment with higher concentrations of carbon dioxide has fewer nutrients, according to research started by the University of Tokyo.