Justice Antonin Scalia (seated) poses next to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (L) and Justice Samuel Alito as Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States pose for a 2006 class photo inside the Supreme Court in Washington March 3, 2006.

ASSociated Press: Justice Ginsburg Reveals Details of Threat

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said she and former Justice Sandra Day O’Connor have been the targets of death threats from the “irrational fringe” of society, people apparently spurred by Republican criticism of the high court.

Ginsburg revealed in a speech in South Africa last month that she and O’Connor were threatened a year ago by someone who called on the Internet for the immediate “patriotic” killing of the justices.

Ginsburg said the Web threat was apparently prompted by legislation in Congress, filed by Republicans, that would bar judges from relying on foreign laws or court decisions.

“It is disquieting that they have attracted sizable support. And one not-so-small concern _ they fuel the irrational fringe,” she said in a speech posted online by the court earlier this month and first reported Wednesday by LegalTimes.com.

Justice Ginsburg’s speech on international law is here.

According to Ginsburg, someone in a Web site chat room wrote: “Okay commandoes, here is your first patriotic assignment … an easy one. Supreme Court Justices Ginsburg and O’Connor have publicly stated that they use (foreign) laws and rulings to decide how to rule on American cases. This is a huge threat to our Republic and Constitutional freedom. … If you are what you say you are, and NOT armchair patriots, then those two justices will not live another week.”

Rep. Tom Feeney, R-Fla., a sponsor of one of the congressional proposals, wrote about the legislation on his Web site and in bold letters featured a quote from O’Connor predicting the Supreme Court would probably increasingly rely on foreign courts.

So, now it is not appropriate to criticise the Justices of the United States Supreme Court because it may lead to criminals making unlawful acts?

BULL

Ginsburg is the EVER partisan LEFTIE (former ACLU counsel) and wishes to use partisanship and a “Physical Threat Fakeout” to derail discussion of the real issue: the use of International law as precedent in United States Supreme Court decisions.

If you and the other justices are threatened, Justice Ginsburg, call the FBI.

Technorati Tags: RudthBaderGinsburg, UnitedStatesSupremeCourt, TomFeeey, foreignlaw, SandraDayOConnor

ASSociated Press: High Court Tackles Political Boundry Case

The Supreme Court had put the Texas cases on the fast track, scheduling an unusually long two-hour afternoon session.

The subject matter was extremely technical, and near the end of the argument Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg dozed in her chair. Justices David Souter and Samuel Alito, who flank the 72-year-old, looked at her but did not give her a nudge.

Past her naptime?

Good Grief……..

Technorati Tags: RuthBaderGinsburg, SCOTUS, SupremeCourt

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: AntoninScalia, SupremeCourt, internationallaw, C-Span, AmericanEnterpriseInstitute