Specter Wants a Mulligan (and Someone Doesn’t Know His Constitution)
Via Susie we learn that Arlen Specter wants a mulligan!
Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) plans to review the Senate testimony of U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel A. Alito to determine if their reversal of several long-standing opinions conflicts with promises they made to senators to win confirmation.
Specter, who championed their confirmation, said Tuesday he will personally re-examine the testimony to see if their actions in court match what they told the Senate.
“There are things he has said, and I want to see how well he has complied with it,” Specter said, singling out Roberts.
I think it’s a bit late for regrets, don’t you? After all, this is the same Arlen Specter who vowed that when it came to confirmation of Supreme Court nominees, “nobody can be confirmed today who does not agree with [Roe v. Wade].†, and then promptly betrayed his own conscience when his Chairmanship of the Judiciary Committee was on the line.
This is the same Arlen Specter who voted for the bill after telling reporters earlier that he would oppose it because it is “patently unconstitutional on its face.” He cited its denial of the habeas corpus right to military detainees. In an interview last night, Specter said he decided to back the bill because it has several good items, “and the court will clean it up” by striking the habeas corpus provisions. Hey, how’s that working out so far?
So now Arlen wants a mulligan. Whoopdee-freakin’-doo, let’s break out with the hosannah and hallelujahs. Not.
More annoying, in the same article, Erwin Chemerinsky, a law professor at Duke, claims “”It is important to point out how the confirmation hearings were a sham. There is nothing you can do about it now; they are there for life. But it is important as we look to future hearings.”
Huh? Someone needs to visit the Federal Government’s site for kids, “Ben’s Guide”, where it clearly states,
Someone should add “yet.” to that quote, but I digress.
How is it that a law professor doesn’t know this?
3 Responses to “Specter Wants a Mulligan (and Someone Doesn’t Know His Constitution)”
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July 26th, 2007 at 12:08 pm
[...] House Link to Article supreme court Specter Wants a Mulligan (and Someone Doesn’t Know His Constitution) [...]
July 26th, 2007 at 5:47 pm
Brendan- look to your Constitution-
Art 3, Sec 1-
…The Judges, both of the Supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behavior…
This requires some mal/misfeasance, not just changing their mind. Only one Justice has been impeached, but not convicted and removed ( Chase, for disagreeing with Jefferson).
July 26th, 2007 at 8:48 pm
“This requires some mal/misfeasance, not just changing their mind.”
Changing their minds? or lying to Congress during a confirmation hearing?
I know people who knew Roberts and they say he’s ALWAYS been an ideologue. And Samuel Alito’s disrespect for precedent is well-known.