So If Roberts Got Caught Lying About The Federalist Society, Is He Toast?

[ruggerson]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/24/AR2005072401201.html?sub=AR

Roberts Listed in Federalist Society '97-98 Directory
Court Nominee Said He Has No Memory of Membership

By Charles Lane
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, July 25, 2005; Page A01

Supreme Court nominee John G. Roberts Jr. has repeatedly said that he has no memory of belonging to the Federalist Society, but his name appears in the influential, conservative legal organization's 1997-1998 leadership directory.

Having served only two years on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit after a long career as a government and private-sector lawyer, Roberts has not amassed much of a public paper record that would show his judicial philosophy. Working with the Federalist Society would provide some clue of his sympathies. The organization keeps its membership rolls secret, but many key policymakers in the Bush administration are acknowledged current or former members.

Roberts has burnished his legal image carefully. When news organizations have reported his membership in the society, he or others speaking on his behalf have sought corrections. Last week, the White House told news organizations that had reported his membership in the group that he had no memory of belonging. The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, USA Today and the Associated Press printed corrections.

Over the weekend, The Post obtained a copy of the Federalist Society Lawyers' Division Leadership Directory, 1997-1998. It lists Roberts, then a partner at the law firm Hogan & Hartson, as a member of the steering committee of the organization's Washington chapter and includes his firm's address and telephone number.

[deadparrot]

1. As much as I'd like to say yes,

I kind of think it'll take a little more than that. :shrug:

[ruggerson]

Remember Douglas Ginsburg?

His nomination was derailed because it was found out he had smoked pot in college.

Doesn't take much to derail a Supreme Court nomination. The bad behaviour threshold bar is very low.

[deadparrot]

9. Yeah, but didn't the Democrats control Congress at the time? nt

[Lecky]

14. ...but now we have a former coke-head President

Times have changed and we've lowered the bar (well Republicans have really)...


I mean could the Democrats really argue that with a straight face? I'd be sort of embarrassed...

[Misskittycat]

29. Roberts could smoke a joint at the Senate Hearing; he'd still be

confirmed.

[Misskittycat]

30. Roberts could smoke a joint at the Senate Hearing; he'd still be

confirmed.

[merh]

15. Did he deny membership in the society when he was interviewed

for the Court of Appeals post? If he did deny it or if he failed to list it on his resume or interview papers, he "lied" by omission during those confirmation hearings.

Someone in congress needs to check his filings prior to the post he has now.

[w13rd0]

24. He lied...

...about something that's a known anyway. Bush only appoints Federalist jackboots. Thus, Roberts NOT being in the Federalist Society would be...odd. But turns out, he was full of shit, because he DOES "remember", since he likely told Bush, he just thought it was better if he lie to all of us.

[barb162]

2. no way, count the number of pugs on the judiciary committee

[Fridays Child]

3. It seems stupid of him to deny something so easily found out.

Makes me wonder if it's a red herring issue.

[The Magistrate]

4. Has No Memory Of Membership, Sir?

That is a flat lie, and can only be regarded as a deliberate attempt to deceive the Senate and the people.

Membership in that clique of reactionary traitors ought to be cause for stripping persons of their citizenship....

[Hardrada]

6. Seconded.

[dweller]

18. 17th'd....

just my post #, but hoping 15 others noticed the point.

dp

[shelley806]

25. Here's one........n/t

[dweller]

26. good on ya!

:thumbsup:
dp

[shelley806]

28. and back to you dweller!...n/t

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. Doubtful

The Federalist Society has become an organization that any up-and-coming Republican lawyer is pretty much obligated to join. It's entirely possible that he got a solicitation in the mail, figured he'd better join up, send them his $100 or whatever, and promptly forgot about it. It's even possible that his law firm signed him up. He has many worse attributes than having been an inactive member of the Federalist Society -- this probably won't be a big deal.

[dweller]

23. Steering Committee sounds inactive, i guess

if you're a drunk driving Repuglican.

dp

[Ouabache]

7. What about if he is Opus Dei ?

He is Catholic, but is he Opus Dei as well? Because if he is that would mean 33% of the Supreme Court was Opus Dei and they only have what? 80,000 members in the US? Opus Dei seems to be WAY over-represented on the Supremes with just 2 of them if you ask me. Scalia and Thomas.

[burrowowl]

11. If Opus Dei too!

SHIIIIIIIIIIT!

[lynch03]

22. nm

nm

[funflower]

19. What is the evidence that Scalia and Thomas are members?

According to Wikipedia, their membership is rumored but unconfirmed.

Is there a published list, or is Opus Dei some sort of quasi-secret organization?

[fooj]

21. More representation than WOMEN!

Great. :banghead:

[noiretextatique]

8. that convienent memory loss thing

no recollection
i do not recall
blah, blah, blah
etc, etc, etc

[SmokingJacket]

31. Hey, it worked for Reagan.

Now he's practically a canonized saint.

[fujiyama]

35. Looks like he learned from his boss

during his administration.

[burrowowl]

10. Reinquist didn't

get toasted on his nomination for CJ re his perjury on badgering Mexican-Americans at the polls in Arizona.

[Lannes]

12. Or that he put in a covenant for the sale of his house barring

the sale to Jews or any people of color.

[Lecky]

13. No

We'd have to find something better than that.

[shelley806]

27. His participation in Bush vs. Gore...the 'unconstitutional' ruling of

SCOTUS, in favor of the very president that has now nominated him...this all reeks of so much, almost nepotism, I'm surprised that this supposed democracy isn't howling. That they don't complain is exactly how these evil thugs have gotten away with everything.

[kestrel91316]

16. No, no............lying is perfectly ok if you are a Republican.

[Hardrada]

32. It is part of their ideology.

It is not necessary or desirable to tell the truth to those you despise and seek to destroy forever.

[Cocoa]

17. not toast, but that's a blow to his credibility

he actively sought corrections from the press, and the press turned out to be right.

[Carolab]

20. He doesn't remember, yet he was on the STEERING COMMITTEE

of the organization's Washington chapter?

NOT BLOODY LIKELY he'd forget, is it???

[GreenPartyVoter]

34. We need video footage of him at some sorta Fed Soc banquet, where he makes

a speech and mentions the group by name.

[fujiyama]

33. I doubt it