Politics,  Supreme Court

Antonin Scalia Watch: Justice Scalia Heckled at American Enterprise Institute Speech

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia gives the keynote speech on the debate over the role that international and foreign law should play in American judicial decision-making, during a day-long symposium at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2006.

ASSociated Press: Hecklers Disrupt Scalia at D.C. Appearance

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia grew tired of a persistent heckler Tuesday and asked organizers of a legal seminar to do something about the outbursts _ gently.

“Don’t use force,” Scalia told American Enterprise Institute workers as they grabbed the young man’s arm and nudged him toward the door. The workers then let go and the man walked out.

It was unclear what Aaron Yule, 23, of Boston, was asking when Scalia turned to organizers and said, “Can you, somebody …”

Earlier, a microphone had been snatched from the man’s hand when he tried to engage the justice in debate. Scalia had asked him whether he had a question, “apart from insults.”

The speech from C-Span: U.S. Supremce Court Justice Scalia on Outsourcing American Law

The young questioners were by and large ignorant of the subject and rude – much like the comments section at the Huffington Post or the Daily Kos.

Justice Scalia was obviously annoyed with the lack of preparation, intelligence and tone of the questioners. For the most part an opportunity to question the Justice on the role of international law on the American courts was lost.

Will the Justice allow himself to be questioned again?

Probably……but let’s hope C-Span and the American Enterprise Institute screen a better audience.

Update #1

Proof of Law Blog has Media coverage of Scalia speech

The questioner (a Google search shows that he’s a member of LaRouche Youth) continued to interrupt proceedings, and was eventually removed. There continued to be a mix of intelligent questions (Tom Goldstein and Michael Greve engaged the justice) and provocateurs wanting to make a splash on C-SPAN. Scalia answered questions about his speech, and passed on other questions, but, as if a glutton for punishment (or at least confrontation), he continued to select scruffy leftists/LaRouche Youth who raised their hands (including a German woman who went on a rant about Leibniz), though it would have been easy to bypass them.

Google Search for Aaron Yule.

LaRouche Youth Expose Naderites As FascistsAt this point, LYM member Aaron Yule stood up, and repeated Walsh’s charges. “You are a sophist,” he said. “You are playing on people’s fantasies,
www.larouchepac.com/pages/otherartic_files/2004/040922_naderites.htm – 17k –

Flap was wondering if this was a set-up……apparently it was.

Who was in charge of soliciting audience members for the American Enterprise Institute?

H/T: Michelle Malkin


Technorati Tags: , , , ,