When the parents of two-year-old Jerusalem-born Menachem Zivotofsky submitted a passport application for their son who has U.S. citizenship they were told that they could not designate “Israel” as the place of birth.
The case pits the State Department against an Act of Congress that says that a U.S. citizen born in Jerusalem shall “record the place of birth as Israel.” 
In arguments at the Supreme Court today the lawyer for the parents , Nathan Lewin, said “it’s a passport law.”
Solicitor General Donald Verrilli took the position that it’s a “political question” about who controls foreign policy, congress or the president? 
Bob Barnes reports on a “supremely funny moment” here.
Courtroom sketching is a form of visual journalism or reportage drawing that is slowly dying out. Where once upon a time news organization each had their own artist covering a story, today a “pool” artist often sketches for all. It is a demanding and stressful discipline where the drawing is often done directly and under tight deadline.
After forty-five years of news sketching in courtrooms and congress I’m calling it quits. It’s been sometimes fun, sometimes frustrating, almost always interesting. I’ve been lucky to work with some really great people. Don’t think I’ll miss it, but a little scared of not having a deadline.
While I won’t be sketching in court anymore, I may continue to post to this blog from time to time. Not sure what that might be. I’m about to start a new assignment documenting infrastructure and construction. Could be interesting.
