Texas legislators(Delay & Cornyn) take issue with O'Connor's warnings

[RedEarth]

WASHINGTON – Now that she's left the Supreme Court, Sandra Day O'Connor has a few things to get off her chest. One of the first was to warn that the nation could slide into dictatorship if harsh critiques of the judiciary – from the likes of Texas Sen. John Cornyn and Rep. Tom DeLay – go unanswered.

"We must be ever-vigilant against those who would strong-arm the judiciary," she said this month at a Georgetown University conference on corporate law. "It takes a lot of degeneration before a country falls into dictatorship, but we should avoid these ends by avoiding these beginnings."

Last year, after killings of judges or their relatives in Atlanta and Chicago, Mr. Cornyn suggested that judicial activism had inflamed the public. And Mr. DeLay, then the House majority leader, called for the impeachment of judges involved in removal of life support for Terri Schiavo, a brain-dead Florida woman. Both took strong issue last week with Ms. O'Connor's remarks, which didn't mention them by name. The senator called the warning of potential dictatorship "hyperbole, to say the least."

"That's a remarkable thing for a former justice on the Supreme Court to say," he said. "There's no danger of dictatorship while people feel free to express their views, and it's a ridiculous suggestion. "Obviously she's irritated, and maybe she feels somewhat liberated now that she's no longer on the bench," he said.

Mr. DeLay, R-Sugar Land, suggested the former justice is rusty on the concept of checks and balances, noting that Congress has an explicit right to strip courts of jurisdiction over any issue as it sees fit. "I think she ought to read the Constitution again," he said. "We have an authority. They are not an ivory tower over there. All wisdom does not reside in nine people with black robes. It's in the Constitution, and it has not been exercised in 50 to a hundred years, and it's time to do it."

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/nation/stories/DN-texwatch_19nat.ART.State.Edition1.9836e5.html

[cantstandbush]

1. Now, if the nine sitting judges don't stand up to this smuck and others

like him, they all need to resign. This ought to show them exactly what the RW fools like DeLay actually think of the Court.

[redphish]

2. The last thing a fascist government in waiting wants to see...

is someone pointing out the illegality of what they are trying to do. One of their first natural targets has to be an independent judiciary.

[LiviaOlivia]

3. DeLay needs to be drug tested

"I think she ought to read the Constitution again," said DeLay.

Fuck him. You hear me Lord?

[movonne]

4. Who cares what these two asses have to say...

[Rex]

5. Sorry lady, you broke it so now you buy it!

You had your one 'defining moment' in history and you dropped the ball. Now Democracy unravels in front of your very eyes! Pull up a chair Sandy, watch the 'show' you helped create. :(

As far as DeLay and his brood goes...who listens to a criminal? Oh yeah, I forgot. :(

[fearnobush]

12. Sanda D O'Connor - One vote by you caused this dictatorship - Gore v Bush

Just one vote, but you had to put party before constitution and vote that prick in. FUCKYOU Sandy.

[Rex]

15. And who ever said one vote can't decide an election

never would have thought the vote came from someone NOT elected to office.

[long_green]

6. Delay's statement: it (his ideal) "has not been exercised in 50...

years." Gee, what could he be talking about? What a misbegotten collection of cells.

[buddysmellgood]

11. Tom Delay is one of the nation's foremost leading constitutional scholars.

:sarcasm:

[Ian David]

7. It would have been nice if O' Connor had stayed on the bench

I know, she's served her country well and she's old and entitled to make her own decisions.

But couldn't she have waited until after the 2006 mid-term elections?

Maybe she was just tired of Justice Thomas putting pubic hair in her Coke.

[PsN2Wind]

9. Except she and Rehnquist

were reported to have held on, even though wanting to retire, until Clinton could no longer name their successors. At least Rehnquist died while trying to outlast his screwup while Sandra decided we were on our own. Thanks for nothing Sandy!!

[salin]

8. my, such thin skin,

what's a matter mr.s delay and cronyn... the accusations hit a little too close to home per your desires?

[rpannier]

10. HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

"I think she ought to read the Constitution again," FROM delay. That's hysterical. HAHAHAHAHAHA. delay and his party have been abusing and ignoring the Constitution for the last five years. Their own 'prez'nit' doesn't think he's bound by legislative decisions. Checks and Balances. Totally lost on pukies.

[Gman]

13. I can't wait to tell Delay

"Shut up, convict."

Both Delay and Cornyn are embarrassments to Texas.

[struggle4progress]

14. Of course, O'Connor won't say this to the general public but only ..

.. to a select group of corporate lawyers and only when there is tight control of press coverage -- because, of course, dictatorship is of no concern to her unless it impacts the rights of the elite group to which she belongs ...

[Kenergy]

16. Incredible. They're morans. n/t