Address spurs conflict (Another Scalia COI)

[Lucille]

http://www.nynewsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-usscal093701396mar09,0,6226062.story?coll=ny-nationalnews-headlines

WASHINGTON - As the Supreme Court was weighing a landmark gay-rights case last year, Justice Antonin Scalia gave a keynote dinner speech in Philadelphia for an advocacy group waging a legal battle against gay rights.

Scalia addressed the $150-a-plate dinner hosted by the Urban Family Council two months after hearing oral arguments in a challenge to a Texas law that made sex between gays a crime. A month after the dinner, he sharply dissented from the high court's decision overturning the Texas law.

--snip

The Urban Family Council, which hosted the dinner, was not a party to the Texas case, but it is backing a separate lawsuit that seeks to overturn a Philadelphia city ordinance allowing gay couples who work for the city to register as "life partners" to qualify for pension and health benefits.

William Devlin, who founded the council, is lead plaintiff in the lawsuit, which is pending before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Both sides say the case has a good chance of reaching Scalia's court.

Devlin said he invited Scalia last year to speak at the group's dinner, which was held to raise money to support the lawsuit and other council activities.

The judicial code bars judges from raising money for outside groups. It also says a judge should not "permit the use of the prestige of the judicial office for that purpose."

After Scalia accepted the invitation, Supreme Court staff contacted Devlin to condition the justice's appearance on the understanding that the dinner could not make a profit. Devlin said he assured them that any money from the dinner - after expenses - would be refunded to guests. But, Devlin said, that turned out to be unnecessary. According to Devlin, the event made no money.

----snip

[dfong63]

1. stunts like this completely destroy the appearance of impartiality

... and anyone who has risen to the level of the supreme court should have known better.

this kind of thing should get even a rank municipal court judge busted. Scalia is an embarrassment to the judicial system. is it impeachment time yet?

[David Zephyr]

4. Worse, It Gives the Nod to All the Nation's Judges to Misbehave.

Scalia is setting the example alright, and what a low one it is.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

2. And he's a jerk...

...not that you couldn't figure that out from his attitude. I met him once in college - he came to Lamar Univeristy in Southeast Texas for a small address, and then he was a total dick when the local news turned on their camera to film it, and made them stop.

If he didn't want it filmed, he could have said that before the address, but he WANTED them to start so he could tell them to stop. Asshole. I didn't know much about him at the time (this was about 10 years ago, maybe longer) but I had an instant dislike for him. And knowing him better now makes me just loathe him.

Kerry HAS to win, just so Reinquist doesn't resign and we wind up with Scalia as Chief Justice.

[mobuto]

3. Abe Fortas resigned from the Court for a lot less

This is not appropriate behavior.

[floridaguy]

5. If not impeachment, some type of censure should be in order (n/t)