Monday, July 25, 2005
This Liar Is Supposed to Interpret Our Laws?
- from a Washington Post article By Charles Lane in BuzzFlash.com
Supreme Court nominee John G. Roberts Jr. has repeatedly claimed that he has no memory of belonging to the Federalist Society. And, the White House relayed this claim to various mainstream news sources who had previously reported his membership. So, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, the Associated Press and others, following their usual practice of towing the administration line, dutifully printed corrections.
However, this lie has been exposed by The Washington Post with its acquisition of a copy of the Federalist Society Lawyers' Division Leadership Directory, 1997-1998. It lists Roberts, then a partner at the law firm Hogan & Hartson, as a member of the steering committee of the organization's Washington chapter and includes his firm's address and telephone number.
Establishing his association with the Federalist Society is important because Roberts has not amassed much of a public paper record that would show his judicial philosophy. Working with the society would provide some clue of his stances.
In conservative circles, connection with the Federalist Society has become a stamp of approval for one's right wing ideological and political credentials. In the past, Roberts' membership was routinely reported by news organizations in the context of his work in two GOP administrations and legal assistance to the party during the contested 2000 presidential election in Florida.
Whether or not Roberts was a dues paying member is of no significance. Federalist Society Executive Vice President Leonard A. Leo said that membership in the sense of paying dues was not required as a condition of inclusion in a listing of the society's leadership. The society is tolerant of those who come to its meetings or serve on committees without paying dues. He declined to say whether Roberts had ever paid dues, citing a policy of keeping membership information confidential.
The Federalist Society sponsors legal symposia and similar activities and serves as a network for rising conservative lawyers. And, many Democrats regard the organization with suspicion. Nan Aron, president of the Alliance for Justice, a liberal organization that has been critical of the Roberts nomination, said "As this episode (attempted cover up) makes clear, the Senate needs to go behind the glowing accounts of Roberts' record to figure out what he really thinks and what he really did."
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- from a Washington Post article By Charles Lane in BuzzFlash.com
Supreme Court nominee John G. Roberts Jr. has repeatedly claimed that he has no memory of belonging to the Federalist Society. And, the White House relayed this claim to various mainstream news sources who had previously reported his membership. So, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, the Associated Press and others, following their usual practice of towing the administration line, dutifully printed corrections.
However, this lie has been exposed by The Washington Post with its acquisition of a copy of the Federalist Society Lawyers' Division Leadership Directory, 1997-1998. It lists Roberts, then a partner at the law firm Hogan & Hartson, as a member of the steering committee of the organization's Washington chapter and includes his firm's address and telephone number.
Establishing his association with the Federalist Society is important because Roberts has not amassed much of a public paper record that would show his judicial philosophy. Working with the society would provide some clue of his stances.
In conservative circles, connection with the Federalist Society has become a stamp of approval for one's right wing ideological and political credentials. In the past, Roberts' membership was routinely reported by news organizations in the context of his work in two GOP administrations and legal assistance to the party during the contested 2000 presidential election in Florida.
Whether or not Roberts was a dues paying member is of no significance. Federalist Society Executive Vice President Leonard A. Leo said that membership in the sense of paying dues was not required as a condition of inclusion in a listing of the society's leadership. The society is tolerant of those who come to its meetings or serve on committees without paying dues. He declined to say whether Roberts had ever paid dues, citing a policy of keeping membership information confidential.
The Federalist Society sponsors legal symposia and similar activities and serves as a network for rising conservative lawyers. And, many Democrats regard the organization with suspicion. Nan Aron, president of the Alliance for Justice, a liberal organization that has been critical of the Roberts nomination, said "As this episode (attempted cover up) makes clear, the Senate needs to go behind the glowing accounts of Roberts' record to figure out what he really thinks and what he really did."
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