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Long before Diddy’s sex-crimes trial, he almost became an NFL owner

A 12-person Manhattan jury delivered a split verdict Wednesday in the case of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, who was found guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution but was acquitted on the top charge of racketeering and both sex trafficking counts.

The verdict came after allegations of sexual assault and trafficking started mounting against the music mogul following a bombshell lawsuit from his former girlfriend of a decade, Casandra ‘Cassie’ Ventura Fine, who provided devastating testimony during the trial that began May 5 in Combs’ hometown of New York City.

It wasn’t long ago that Combs attempted to join one of the most exclusive clubs in American society: NFL ownership. Here’s a look back at Diddy’s dalliance with ‘The Shield.’

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs wanted to buy Carolina Panthers

Combs first voiced his desire to buy the Carolina Panthers via social media in December 2017. The Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry responded that he wanted to be a part of the ownership group.

Combs’ ownership push came amid the Colin Kaepernick protests that he inspired across the league. In May 2018, however, owners unanimously approved a new national anthem policy that requires players to stand if they are on the field during the performance and extinguished Combs’ desire to own a team, apparently.

‘Man, I really wanted to go in there and be a part of the NFL and try to be a positive change,’ Combs said, via Billboard. ‘This last move, though, I don’t even want to own an NFL team no more.’

The team eventually went to David Tepper.

During an appearance with ‘The Breakfast Club’ following his failed attempt to buy the team, Combs said:

“It was never about me buying the Panthers. It was always about ‘we.’ It was always about ‘we’ need a team,” he said. “I jumped out there to make sure that they understood that they have to consider some Black ownership right now with 80%, 70% of the league being African American. It’s just time.”

Robert Kraft wanted Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs to own NFL team

During a run-in with gossip website TMZ, Patriots owner Robert Kraft voiced his support for Combs when asked about the prospect of the 55-year-old buying into the league.

‘I hope so,’ he told TMZ Sports. ‘I’m a big fan of his.’

Combs later told TMZ that ‘it’s time’ for him to own a team.

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Aaron Nola injury update: Latest on Phillies pitcher’s rehab

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola remains on track with his rehab process.

That latest step towards the mound for the veteran, who has been out since May 16, has taken place across the last few days at Citizens Bank Park with agility work and throwing on the ground in the outfield ahead of each game of the Phillies’ three-game series vs. the San Diego Padres.

‘It’s going smooth so far,’ Nola told USA TODAY Sports. ‘I’ve thrown probably seven times, no problems. Haven’t really gotten on it super hard yet. Hoping today goes well again and having tomorrow off to recover and back at it on Friday. It is going smoothly.’

Prior to his stint on the injured list on May 16, Nola was in an uncharacteristic rut for the Phillies, who signed him to a new seven-year, $172 million dollar contract in 2023. In nine starts this season, Nola had a 1-7 record with a career-high 6.16 ERA in 49 ⅔ innings pitched.

The Phillies entered Wednesday, July 2 with a two-game lead over the New York Mets in the National League East.

Here’s the latest updates on Nola’s injury and when the Phillies might expect their All-Star right-hander back:

Aaron Nola injury update

Nola went on the injured list for the first time — for a non-COVID injury — since 2017, on May 16 with a right ankle sprain that he sustained while doing agility work ahead of a May 9 road start vs. the Cleveland Guardians.

He pitched with the injured ankle vs. the Guardians and then again on May 14 against the St. Louis Cardinals, two starts in which he’d give up a combined 13 runs on 18 hits and five home runs.

‘I’m just blessed that it’s nothing season-ending or anything huge. But yeah, it’s been a while obviously since we’ve been on the [IL], but it’s part of baseball,’ Nola said, on the injured list for a lengthy period for the first time in his career. ‘A little speed bump that I got to get over and I believe I’m going to get over it and hopefully come back strong and have a fresh arm hopefully.’

Nola said over the last few days, he has been able to continue doing some running and agility work in the outfield, along with getting some tossing in. As for how his arm has responded to the throwing, Nola said it’s ‘feeling good.’ He also said his stress-fractured rib cage is progressing well.

‘We’re doing a good job of planning everything out and I’ve been feeling good every time I’ve thrown. I’m not trying to push it too quickly because I don’t want any setbacks,’ Nola said. ‘Obviously have some days that are a little sore just in the arm because we’re not throwing for three weeks, but that’s just normal.’

He was scheduled to run and toss a bit ahead of Game 1 of the Phillies’ doubleheader vs. the Padres on July 2, and then throw again in two days, where he hopes to get back near the mound.

‘Just to throw a couple up off the mound to feel the slope and feel the push off with my ankle and stuff like that since I haven’t been (doing that) in a little while,’ Nola said. ‘That’s kind of the progression right now.’

In his pregame availability with the media on July 2, Phillies manager Rob Thomson said the hope is to get Nola on the mound for a full bullpen session by the end of the weekend. Thomson also said that once Nola begins to ramp up his throwing program, the Phillies will treat it like a second spring training.

‘I’d say pretty close, yeah, starting over really,’ Thomson said.

Nola reiterated that plan, building up to bullpen sessions on the mound and then getting a few rehab starts — maybe two or three — to get his pitch count up. He additionally said he’s still hopeful for a target date of late July, early August, though he couldn’t tell ‘a date or a week’ for that return.

‘Honestly, trying to take it day by day and pushing the envelope just a little bit more every day I throw and run and work out,’ Nola said. ‘That’s kind of the way it’s going right now.’

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

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Democratic doctors’ protest against Trump’s ‘beautiful bill’ derailed by flood of US Capitol tourists

The Democratic Doctors Caucus was interrupted by a barrage of tourists during a press conference outside the office of House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on Wednesday.

As Congress rushes to pass President Donald Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ before the self-imposed July 4 deadline, House Democrats hosted press conferences throughout the Capitol on Wednesday protesting the $3.3 trillion bill. 

The Democratic Doctors Caucus, comprised of the six Democratic physicians serving in the House of Representatives, planned a press conference in Statuary Hall, a room down the hall from the House speaker’s office. 

Apparently noticing the large gaggle of reporters staking out Johnson’s office amid last-minute member holdout negotiations, the caucus moved their press conference to right outside the speaker’s office. Donning their white coats in the crowded hallway, the Democratic doctors began their prepared remarks. 

But that area is a major tourist corridor, and the press conference was quickly flooded with tourists walking from the Rotunda past Johnson’s office and into Statuary Hall. 

Police officers directed members to stand on one side of the corridor, while the press stood on the other. 

The result was unusable to journalists as tour guides and tourists’ chatter drowned out their remarks. The Democrats’ comments were inaudible. 

Their press conference also created somewhat of a tourist traffic jam between the two areas, as officers struggled to keep the area open. 

Democrats have railed against potential Medicaid cuts since Trump was elected in November. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), at least 10 million people will lose health insurance by 2034 due to Trump’s megabill. 

While Trump has maintained that the bill does not cut Medicaid and Republicans claim the bill only cuts waste, fraud and abuse in the program, Democrats have continued to speak out against the projected cuts. 

The Democratic Doctors Caucus planned to highlight the harm Medicaid cuts could have on hospitals during their press conference Wednesday, but their remarks were drowned out by the steady flow and chatter of tourists walking back and forth from the Rotunda to Statuary Hall.

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Business

As his feud with Trump reignites, Musk’s business with the government is back in the crosshairs

Elon Musk and President Donald Trump are fighting again. Now Musk’s business interests — and the billions in government contracts they enjoy — are once again in the crosshairs.

Investors were already punishing Tesla on Tuesday, sending shares in the electric carmaker more than 4% lower in afternoon trading. The stock has experienced a late-spring rally alongside the broader market but remains down some 20% so far this year. The shares have been pummeled by a global backlash to Musk’s alliance with Trump on the campaign trail and in the White House, where the multibillionaire led a sweeping program of government cuts

Musk acknowledged there had been “some blowback” to the actions taken by his Department of Government Efficiency project that may have affected Tesla sales. Yet investors remain largely bullish on the company and its efforts to pivot away from mass-market EVs and toward self-driving taxis and robotics, pushing its market valuation back toward $1 trillion.

Tesla remains Musk’s best-known business, but its fortunes are less directly tied to the government than SpaceX, his rocket-building company. SpaceX’s $350 billion valuation largely rests on the many government contracts that fuel it. SpaceX’s work for NASA has ramped up in recent years in support of the Artemis mission to return to the moon.

Meanwhile, SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft is currently the only active vessel capable of carrying astronauts to and from the International Space Station. SpaceX has also become essential to the Department of Defense’s missions taking satellites into orbit and today is responsible for the majority of such missions, according to Ars Technica.

SpaceX is privately held, meaning its shares don’t trade on the open market. It is thus difficult to get a real-time gauge on how worsening relations could affect the company’s fortunes. But the impact could be substantial. Since fiscal year 2000, total revenue for SpaceX and Tesla from federal unclassified contracts sits at $22.5 billion, according to Bloomberg Government data — with most of those going to the former. The Washington Post has put the figure for SpaceX alone at close to $38 billion, with $6.3 billion alone coming in 2024 — the highest annual total to date.

The dispute with Trump has also taken a chunk out of Musk’s personal net worth. After soaring to an all-time high of nearly half a trillion dollars after Trump’s election win, Musk’s publicly available wealth tally now sits at $400 billion, though that still makes him the world’s wealthiest individual by nearly $150 billion ahead of Oracle founder Larry Ellison, another Trump ally.

The Musk-Trump tiff first exploded into public view last month, shortly after Musk formally stepped down from his special government employee role and criticized the massive spending and tax cut bill that Republican senators passed Tuesday. Trump responded at the time by threatening to “terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts.”

Musk, in turn, said he would begin “decommissioning” the Dragon, only to reverse course hours later after an X user advised him and Trump to “cool off and take a step back for a couple of days.”

Before their initial flare-up subsided, Musk announced he would be reining in his political spending weeks after a candidate he had backed lost a key Wisconsin Supreme Court race. Some analysts believe the current relapse in tensions between the two men will be short-lived given Musk’s reliance on the government, and vice-versa.

Still, Musk is now discussing launching his own political party to address the U.S.’s fiscal imbalances, which he believes Trump’s bill will exacerbate — a contention supported by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. While the South Africa-born executive is ineligible to run for office, any candidate he backed for national office would likely face immediate conflict-of-interest questions.

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Apple sues former Vision Pro employee for allegedly stealing ‘thousands of documents’ before joining Snap

Apple has accused a former engineer for its Vision Pro headset computer of stealing company trade secrets before starting a new job at Snap, according to a lawsuit filed in California last week.

In the June 24 court filing, Apple accuses Di Liu, a senior design engineer, of downloading thousands of documents in his final days at the Cupertino company last year and saving them to his personal cloud accounts.

This lawsuit is the latest example of Apple publicly going after a former employee for leaking internal information. Apple is an intensely secretive company, and lawsuits like this one highlight how the iPhone maker exercises tight control over its internal information, even if it has to pursue legal action against former staff.

Apple alleges that Liu didn’t inform the company when he resigned late last year that he was headed to Snap, a competitor and maker of smart glasses. As a result, Apple did not shut off his access to accounts and allowed him a customary two-week transition period, which he used to download company files, according to the lawsuit.

“Worse still, the review of Mr. Liu’s Apple-issued work laptop also shows that while maintaining access to Apple’s Proprietary Information under false pretenses, he used his Apple credentials to exfiltrate thousands of documents containing Proprietary Information from Apple’s secure file storage systems,” the iPhone maker’s lawyers said in the filing.

Many of the files downloaded by Liu had codenames for Apple projects and described the company’s technology, product design and supply chain, according to the lawsuit. Apple says that all employees agree to keep Apple files confidential and that Liu broke confidentiality agreements he made when he joined. Liu worked for Apple between 2017 and 2024, according to the lawsuit.

Liu worked on Apple’s Vision Pro headset as a system product design engineer, per the filing. Liu did not respond to a request for comment from CNBC.

Apple lawyers wrote that Liu could use the trade secrets in his work at Snap. Apple is not suing Snap, and the social media company did not respond to a request for comment.

“The overlap between Apple’s Proprietary Information that Mr. Liu retained and Snap’s AR products (for which Mr. Liu is a ‘product design engineer’) suggests that Mr. Liu intends to use Apple’s Proprietary Information at Snap,” according to the filing.

Apple is seeking damages and for Liu to have his devices inspected by a forensic examiner to make sure all the trade secrets are deleted.

The iPhone maker has sued several former employees in recent years for taking files when they left the company.

Apple settled with former engineer Simon Lancaster in 2022 over providing information to a journalist. Apple also sued a former employee, Andrew Aude, in 2024 over leaking details to the media. That lawsuit was dismissed after Aude apologized.

The Cupertino company sued Rivos, a chip startup staffed by former Apple semiconductor employees, over its intellectual property, and settled in 2024.

Additionally at least three former Apple employees have also been arrested and accused by the government of taking company secrets and giving them to China-linked organizations. One pled guilty and was sentenced to four months in prison, and two are still in proceedings.

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Heisman sleepers: Five unlikely candidates who could contend

Two out of the past five Heisman Trophy winners did not play quarterback, but smart money remains on a quarterback reclaiming the award this season. Quarterbacks won the Heisman in nine of the 10 years throughout the 2010s.

The Heisman favorite wears one of football’s most famous surnames on the back of his jersey. Texas quarterback Arch Manning enjoys 6-to-1 odds from BetMGM.

LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (8½-to-1), Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik (9-to-1), Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (10-to-1) and Penn State quarterback Drew Allar (14-to-1) complete the top five of oddsmaker front-runners.

Give me a three-pack of Heisman picks, and I’d take Manning, Smith and Nussmeier.

Behind the front-runners are a few more quarterbacks and another wide receiver that stand out as Heisman sleepers. How do I define a sleeper? Their odds are worse than 15-to-1.

Full disclosure: I am a Heisman voter. I do not wager on the award.

Here are my top Heisman sleepers for the 2025 season:

Prime Heisman Trophy sleeper candidates

Carson Beck, Miami, QB

BetMGM odds: 25-to-1

Beck headlined the shortlist of Heisman front-runners last summer. Since then, he threw twice as many interceptions (12) in 2024 as he did the previous season, then he transferred to a worse program, he had his expensive cars stolen, and he split with his model girlfriend. Ouch! Never mind all that. He still can make throws most other quarterbacks can’t, and he should find ACC defenses to his liking. Cam Ward finished fourth for the Heisman after transferring to Miami before last season. Beck injured his elbow in December. He resumed throwing recently. If healthy, he retains Heisman-level talent.

EXPERIENCE MATTERS: Familiar faces top Big Ten QB rankings

TIME TO SHINE: Arch Manning headlines SEC QB rankings

LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina, QB

BetMGM odds: 18-to-1

Few quarterbacks outclassed Sellers by the end of last season. Ask Missouri about Sellers’ passing ability. Ask Clemson about his running ability. Dual-threat quarterbacks make for good Heisman contenders, and Sellers fits that billing. He’s an efficient passer, but he must reduce his turnovers after a redshirt freshman season filled with fumbles. A neat story helps a Heisman campaign. How’s this? Sellers signed with South Carolina as a three-star recruit who played in goggles. (He later switched to contacts.) His Heisman hopes will depend on the Gamecocks rekindling their 2024 success, when they reached the playoff’s doorstep.

Julian Sayin, Ohio State, QB

BetMGM odds: 18-to-1

Coach Ryan Day churns out successful quarterbacks. Sayin, a former blue-chip recruit, is next in line. If Sayin outperforms Manning in a season-opening clash of top teams at “The Horseshoe,” his Heisman stock will soar. Here’s your buy-low opportunity. Sayin should benefit from throwing to one of the nation’s best wide receiving corps. He might encounter Heisman competition from his teammate, Smith, but a big season for Smith probably also means a big season for Sayin. He played sparingly in 2024, but he’s got the arm to be a star. Sayin exudes upside, with a great supporting cast around him.

Long-shot sleeper to contend for Heisman Trophy

John Mateer, Oklahoma, QB

BetMGM odds: 25-to-1

Oklahoma needed a quarterback to lead a revival after the Sooners’ dismal first season in the SEC. Insert Mateer, who starred at Washington State, like Ward before him. Mateer’s offensive coordinator, Ben Arbuckle, preceded him to Oklahoma, so there’s no need for Mateer to learn a new system. Now, he just needs to prove himself in the SEC. He’s a dual threat with a bundle of playmaking skills. Oklahoma’s brutal schedule – it’s perhaps the nation’s toughest – will create a platform for Mateer to sink or shine.

Hail Mary sleeper to contend for Heisman Trophy

Ryan Williams, Alabama, WR

BetMGM odds: 35-to-1

How’s this for a Heisman narrative: Williams, at 18 years old, would be the youngest player to win the award. He introduced himself on the scene with a 177-yard receiving game against Georgia. He’ll need to find more consistency as a sophomore to emerge as a contender. Alabama will have a new starting quarterback, and it’s unclear whether that will help or hamper the pass game. Williams’ Heisman hurdles include proving himself as the nation’s best receiver within a landscape that includes Smith from Ohio State. Williams enjoys an advantage in playing for Alabama, which has produced four Heisman winners since 2009.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

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What NFL rookies will be the most explosive in 2025?

Jayden Daniels and Jared Verse not only won the NFL’s Rookie Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year awards last season, but they were also the most explosive rookies.

Daniels passed for 3,568 yards and set an NFL rookie record with 891 rushing yards. Meanwhile, Verse led all rookies with 18 quarterback hits, 77 pressures and 56 hurries.

Which rookies will generate fireworks in 2025?

Fireworks are a tradition across the country on Independence Day. In the spirit of the holiday, USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon provides his take on the four most explosive rookies this upcoming season:

Most explosive 2025 NFL rookies

Ashton Jeanty, RB, Raiders

Teams led by Pete Carroll have traditionally had stout running games. Under Carroll, the Seahawks boasted top-five rushing attacks from 2012-15. Jeanty is slated to be the feature running back in Las Vegas.

“He’s doing great. He really is. He’s right on point with everything that we’re doing. He’s studying really hard. He’s been really diligent about all aspects. There’s nothing that he doesn’t find important,” Carroll said of Jeanty this offseason. “We’re not holding anything back on him. He’s getting a lot of plays.”

It wouldn’t be a surprise if Jeanty eclipsed 1,000 yards as a rookie. He compiled 2,601 rushing yards in his final year at Boise State, the second-most ever in a single season in FBS history.

Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Jaguars

The two-way player is expected to line up on both sides of the ball in Jacksonville, although most of his snaps are likely to come on offense in Year 1.

Hunter played over 86% of Colorado’s offensive snaps and 82% of the team’s defensive snaps. 

‘We know he’s going to be able to do both,’ Jaguars head coach Liam Coen told the media. ‘We feel that in our bones. We’re going to set that up that way from a schedule, from an operations standpoint, the way that we’re going to operate for him, to set him up to have the most success that he can, then help the Jacksonville Jaguars become the best version of ourselves.’

Hunter has an opportunity to have a significant impact as a rookie. Brian Thomas Jr. was Jacksonville’s only player with more than 450 receiving yards and the club had the league’s worst pass defense last year.

Matthew Golden, WR, Packers

Golden’s 4.29 40-yard dash speed makes him a logical option as the Packers’ vertical threat, especially while Watson is sidelined.

Golden led Texas with 987 receiving yards last year. He averaged 17 yards per catch.

‘I’m ready. I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole life and to be here,’ Golden said, per the team’s official website. ‘I’m gonna be present, but I’m gonna let my presence be known and I’m gonna come in here and compete.’

Tyler Warren, TE, Colts

Warren fills a major need in Indy. The Colts had the worst tight end production in the NFL last season.

The 6-foot-5, 256-pound Penn State product was the top tight end prospect in this year’s draft. He possesses good ball skills, can run after the catch and doesn’t mind blocking. He’ll provide a security blanket for whoever starts at quarterback for the Colts.

Warren’s 104 receptions last season were tied for second in the FBS and were a Penn State school record.

“Any time you get a dynamic player of what he was able to do in college, to add that competition and add that presence and his athletic ability to our team is big for sure,” Colts coach Shane Steichen said of Warren.

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.

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Aaron Nola injury update: Latest updates on Phillies RHP ace’s rehab

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola remains on track with his rehab process.

That latest step towards to the mound for the veteran, who has been out since May 16, has taken place across the last few days at Citizens Bank Park with agility work and throwing on the ground in the outfield ahead of each game of the Phillies’ three-game series vs. the San Diego Padres.

‘It’s going smooth so far,’ Nola told USA TODAY Sports. ‘I’ve thrown probably seven times, no problems. Haven’t really gotten on it super hard yet. Hoping today goes well again and having tomorrow off to recover and back at it on Friday. It is going smoothly.’

Prior to his stint on the injured list on May 16, Nola was in an uncharacteristic rut for the Phillies, who signed him to a new seven-year, $172 million dollar contract in 2023. In nine starts this season, Nola had a 1-7 record with a career-high 6.16 ERA in 49 ⅔ innings pitched.

The Phillies entered Wednesday, July 2 with a two-game lead over the New York Mets in the National League East.

Here’s the latest updates on Nola’s injury and when the Phillies might expect their All-Star right-hander back:

Aaron Nola injury update

Nola went on the injured list for the first time — for a non-COVID injury — since 2017, on May 16 with a right ankle sprain that he sustained while doing agility work ahead of a May 9 road start vs. the Cleveland Guardians.

He pitched with the injured ankle vs. the Guardians and then again on May 14 against the St. Louis Cardinals, two starts in which he’d give up a combined 13 runs on 18 hits and five home runs.

‘I’m just blessed that it’s nothing season-ending or anything huge. But yeah, it’s been a while obviously since we’ve been on the [IL], but it’s part of baseball,’ Nola said, on the injured list for a lengthy period for the first time in his career. ‘A little speed bump that I got to get over and I believe I’m going to get over it and hopefully come back strong and have a fresh arm hopefully.’

Nola said over the last few days, he has been able to continue doing some running and agility work in the outfield, along with getting some tossing in. As for how his arm has responded to the throwing, Nola said it’s ‘feeling good.’ He also said his stress-fractured rib cage is progressing well.

‘We’re doing a good job of planning everything out and I’ve been feeling good every time I’ve thrown. I’m not trying to push it too quickly because I don’t want any setbacks,’ Nola said. ‘Obviously have some days that are a little sore just in the arm because we’re not throwing for three weeks, but that’s just normal.’

He was scheduled to run and toss a bit ahead of Game 1 of the Phillies’ doubleheader vs. the Padres on July 2, and then throw again in two days, where he hopes to get back near the mound.

‘Just to throw a couple up off the mound to feel the slope and feel the push off with my ankle and stuff like that since I haven’t been (doing that) in a little while,’ Nola said. ‘That’s kind of the progression right now.’

In his pregame availability with the media on July 2, Phillies manager Rob Thomson said the hope is to get Nola on the mound for a full bullpen session by the end of the weekend. Thomson also said that once Nola begins to ramp up his throwing program, the Phillies will treat it like a second spring training.

‘I’d say pretty close, yeah, starting over really,’ Thomson said.

Nola reiterated that plan, building up to bullpen sessions on the mound and then getting a few rehab starts — maybe two or three — to get his pitch count up. He additionally said he’s still hopeful for a target date of late July, early August, though he couldn’t tell ‘a date or a week’ for that return.

‘Honestly, trying to take it day by day and pushing the envelope just a little bit more every day I throw and run and work out,’ Nola said. ‘That’s kind of the way it’s going right now.’

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

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Wisconsin Supreme Court decides abortion case that prompted most expensive judicial election in US history

The Wisconsin Supreme Court’s newly elected liberal majority on Wednesday voted to strike down a near-total state abortion ban, voting 4-3 to overturn the stringent, 176-year-old law. 

The decision reflected a deeply partisan split, with all four liberal justices voting to invalidate the 1849 abortion law and the three conservative justices dissenting.

It also crystallized the impact of the state’s Supreme Court election earlier this year that raked in millions of dollars in donations, the highest amount in U.S. history for a judicial race. It included involvement from then-Trump ally Elon Musk, former President Barack Obama and others.

Writing for the majority, Justice Rebecca Dallet said the law had been superseded by more recent precedent, including a 1985 statute that allowed for abortions up to the point of fetal viability, or around the 20-week mark.

‘We conclude that comprehensive legislation enacted over the last 50 years regulating in detail the ‘who, what, where, when, and how’ of abortion so thoroughly covers the entire subject of abortion that it was meant as a substitute for the 19th century near-total ban on abortion,’ Dallet wrote. 

‘Accordingly, we hold that the legislature impliedly repealed [the 1849 ban] to abortion, and that [that law] therefore does not ban abortion in the State of Wisconsin.’

Conservative Justice Annette Ziegler, in a dissent, described the ruling as ‘a jaw-dropping exercise of judicial will’ and charged that the liberal justices ruled on the matter based on their personal preferences.

The 1849 law, and efforts to revive it, came to the fore in Wisconsin in 2022, after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade — effectively snapping back into place the state law that had been dormant for decades. 

The Wisconsin law made it a felony for individuals in Wisconsin to perform abortions, including when the health of the woman was at risk, and without exceptions in cases of rape or incest. 

Though the law was not enforced by the state in recent years, at least some Republicans had urged the state Supreme Court to keep it in place, prompting opponents to push more urgently for it to be struck down.

The 4-3 decision puts to rest the possibility that it could be revived. 

It’s also the clearest sign to date of the impact that liberals on the bench could have after they regained the court majority in 2023 for the first time in 15 years. 

The closely watched state Supreme Court race in Wisconsin was the most expensive judicial election in U.S. history, attracting more than $100 million in donations and far eclipsing the $56 million spent on the state Supreme Court race just two years earlier, according to figures compiled by the Brennan Center for Justice. 

Susan Crawford ultimately beat out conservative candidate Brad Schimel, who was backed by President Donald Trump and Musk.

Musk personally donated $3 million to the Wisconsin Republican Party earlier this year, while his two super PACs spent more than $17 million on Schimel’s behalf.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers praised the state Supreme Court decision Wednesday, describing it as a win ‘for women and families’ and healthcare professionals in the state.

‘Three years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court upended five decades of precedent and threw reproductive freedom in Wisconsin and across our country into chaos,’ Evers said in a statement. ‘I promised then to fight like hell to ensure every Wisconsinite has the freedom to consult their family, their faith and their doctor and make the reproductive healthcare decision that is right for them, and I’ve never stopped.

‘Today, the Wisconsin Supreme Court upheld that basic freedom.’

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T.J. Watt landing spots: Eagles, Lions among best fits

T.J. Watt has spent all eight of his NFL seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers since being selected in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Could that change during the 2025 NFL offseason?

Watt and the Steelers are in the process of negotiating a potential long-term extension. The 30-year-old is entering the final year of a four-year, $112.01 million contract he signed in 2021, but is due a raise after Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett reset the NFL’s edge rusher market with a four-year, $160 million deal earlier this offseason.

Thus far, Watt and the Steelers have not been able to bridge the gap. The veteran skipped Pittsburgh’s mandatory minicamp amid the negotiations, leading many to wonder whether the two parties would eventually be able to reach a deal.

The Steelers remain focused on keeping Watt and signing him to an extension and would prefer not to trade him. As such, it stands to reason they will eventually agree to a new contract that keeps the 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year in Pittsburgh long-term.

Nonetheless, teams will continue to inquire about Watt’s availability. It is still possible, although unlikely, that the two sides could reach an impasse and part ways.

Who would be Watt’s top suitors if that happens? Plenty of contenders would be interested in his services, while the Steelers would likely prefer to send him to the NFC if their relationship deteriorates.

Philadelphia Eagles

Could Watt stay in Pennsylvania even if he and the Steelers can’t reach an agreement? Howie Roseman has never been afraid to make aggressive trades, has $30.8 million in cap space available and could use another playmaker on the edge.

The Eagles lost several edge rushers during the offseason, as Josh Sweat signed with the Arizona Cardinals in free agency, Bryce Huff was traded to the San Francisco 49ers and Brandon Graham retired. Philadelphia still has some young talent at the position in Nolan Smith Jr. and Jalyx Hunt, but adding a proven veteran like Watt would help keep its Super Bowl window open.

Detroit Lions

Detroit is one of just three NFL teams with more than $40 million in cap space for the upcoming season, making it relatively easy for Brad Holmes to fit Watt into the team’s financial plan.

Green Bay Packers

The Packers spent a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft on Lukas Van Ness, hoping he could develop into a quality starter across from Rashan Gary. That plan hasn’t yet come to fruition.

Watt would be a quality partner for Gary and would allow Van Ness to remain in a top backup role while he continues to develop. Green Bay has $35.5 million in available cap space – the fifth-most in the NFL – so the Packers could easily afford to swing a deal for the All-Pro.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers signed Haason Reddick to a one-year deal during the 2025 NFL offseason but that won’t preclude them from pursuing a talent like Watt. Calijah Kancey led Tampa Bay with 7.5 sacks last season, but the Buccaneers could use a legitimate double-digit sack threat on the outside.

Watt would qualify, and the Buccaneers – who have won three consecutive NFC South titles – have a respectable $26.6 million in cap space for the upcoming season.

Los Angeles Rams

The Rams have plenty of young talent on the defensive line, including reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Verse. Los Angeles could choose to roll with what it has at the position, but there’s little doubt Watt and Verse would make a fierce pass-rushing duo, much like the one Von Miller and Aaron Donald formed during the Rams’ Super Bowl 56 win.

Les Snead has never been afraid to trade draft picks for proven players, and Matthew Stafford is entering his age-37 season. That should put Watt firmly on Los Angeles’ radar.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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