Samuel A. Alito news stories on Newser

Hey, Lefties: This Supreme Court Should Scare You

Mark Russell — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 10:25:05 CDT

With big issues working their way toward the Supreme Court on such vital issues as health care reform, same-sex marriage, affirmative action, and police stops of undocumented immigrants, liberals need to be on guard, writes longtime court-watcher Emily Bazelon for the New York Times . Sure, there are solid progressives, such...

Supreme Court Extends Handgun Rights Nationwide

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 09:26:42 CDT

The Supreme Court says the Constitution's "right to keep and bear arms" applies nationwide as a restraint on the ability of government to limit its application. The justices' decision today casts doubt on a Chicago-area handgun ban, but their 5-4 vote also signaled that less severe restrictions could survive legal...

40% Approve of Kagan: Poll

Jane Yager — Wed, 12 May 2010 08:58:32 CDT

Forty percent of Americans think Elena Kagan was an "excellent" or "good" choice for the Supreme Court, while 14% rate President Obama's choice of nominee "poor," according to a new Gallup poll. That puts Kagan's initial approval numbers in line with those for Bush nominees Samuel Alito and Harriet Miers,...

Alito vs. Obama: Opposing Views

John Johnson — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 13:24:00 CST

Justice Samuel Alito's critical reaction during last night's State of the Union speech is still making waves: Shannen Coffin, National Review : "That Justice Alito betrayed his feelings in a minor way is understandable. ... In his preening, Obama flatly misrepresented the ruling" and showed an "utter lack of tact." Glenn Greenwald,...

Justice Alito Mouths 'Not True' at Obama Criticism

Will McCahill — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:20:00 CST

Though Supreme Court justices normally sit impassively during the State of the Union address, Justice Samuel Alito took unusual umbrage to President Obama’s criticism of the court’s recent ruling on campaign finance—mouthing “ not true ” when Obama said the decision “reversed a century of law to open the floodgates for...

Roberts Court Disappoints O'Connor

Kevin Spak — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:12:38 CDT

Sandra Day O’Connor is none too pleased with the conservative turn the Supreme Court has taken since she retired. Asked at a conference how she felt about the court overturning or undermining rulings she’d helped make on issues like abortion rights, campaign finance and race, she replied, “What would you...

Justices Prepare for Newest 'Family Member'

Jason Farago — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 07:32:21 CDT

When Sonia Sotomayor takes the bench for the first time next week, the Supreme Court will never be the same—as justice after justice tells C-Span in a rare interview program, each new member transforms the court's composition. John Roberts says that he looks at the bench "like people look...

GOP Looks Tacky in Vote on Sotomayor

Kevin Spak — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 08:56:00 CDT

Senate Republicans locked arms against Sonia Sotomayor yesterday … or would have, if they’d bothered to stay for the Judiciary Committee’s vote. Instead, half ducked out, leaving Jeff Sessions to repeat “No by proxy,” over and over, writes Dana Milbank in the Washington Post . It was an ugly display of...

Attacking Nominees Demeans Court

Harry Kimball — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:53:02 CDT

The political attack ads popular in general elections have a profoundly negative effect on the public’s view of the Supreme Court when used during the nomination process, James L. Gibson writes fror Miller-McCune.com. “Politicized confirmation processes can indeed damage the institution of the US Supreme Court itself,” Gibson writes...