Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Ginsburg discusses court integrity, Congress on campus visit
Daily Nebraskan ^ | 4/10/06 | MEREDITH GRUNKE

Posted on 04/09/2006 10:56:44 PM PDT by ncountylee

As the world becomes more watchful and the relationship between the U.S. Supreme Court and Congress more heated, it was not likely attempts to curb the court's independence would be successful, said Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg during her appearance at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on Friday.

While delivering the 40-minute Roman L. Hruska Lecture at the College of Law and during her morning visit to the College of Journalism and Mass Communication's media law class, the petite woman with a Brooklyn accent delivered strong messages about current issues involving the integrity of the Supreme Court.

``In some political circles, it is fashionable to criticize and even threaten, federal judges who decide cases without regard to what the `home crowd' wants,'' she said.

Federal justices generally do their best to be impartial and reasonable interpreters of the law, Ginsburg said, adding it was important for justices to ``call it as they saw it,'' despite other's attempts to shape, influence or upend Supreme Court decisions.

Ginsburg expressed dismay with a 2005 proposal by Congress to overturn Supreme Court decisions with a two-thirds vote.

``The founders of the United States did not envision a rule of law based on pure majoritarianism, and I see no cause to embark on such an experiment now.''

Only 13 federal judges have been impeached in U.S. history, all for high crimes and not for ``misinterpreting'' the law, Ginsburg said.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailynebraskan.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Extended News; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: baderginsburg; scotus

1 posted on 04/09/2006 10:56:46 PM PDT by ncountylee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: ncountylee
Only 13 federal judges have been impeached in U.S. history

Dream that you could be the 14th!

2 posted on 04/09/2006 10:57:30 PM PDT by ncountylee (Dead terrorists smell like victory)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ncountylee

Only 13 federal judges have been impeached in U.S. history

Our bad.


3 posted on 04/09/2006 11:02:55 PM PDT by jwh_Denver (I get all the news I need by looking out my window.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: ncountylee
...it was important for justices to ``call it as they saw it,...''

It is good that Ruth Buzzy is being honest. She believes the constitution should be interpreted as she sees it as opposed to adhered to the original intent. Let's try an experiment and juxtapose what she said to the oath that she took as a SCJ! Impeachment anyone?

4 posted on 04/09/2006 11:14:24 PM PDT by gr8eman (Everybody is a rocket scientist...until launch day!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jwh_Denver
Only 13 federal judges have been impeached in U.S. history

Including Rep. Alcee Lamar Hastings, D-Fl who was impeached and removed over bribery charges when he was a federal judge. This should disqualified him from service as a Congressman (the "Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States" clause), but the Senate at the time did not think that about 17 articles of Impeachment were enough to disqualify him.

5 posted on 04/09/2006 11:32:07 PM PDT by burzum (A single reprimand does more for a man of intelligence than a hundred lashes for a fool.--Prov 17:10)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: ncountylee

Ginsburg discussing judicial integrity is like Billy Jeff discussing the priesthood. Neither have any experience with the subject matter.


6 posted on 04/09/2006 11:47:35 PM PDT by LibertarianInExile (Freedom isn't free--no, there's a hefty f'in fee--and if you don't throw in your buck-o-5, who will?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ncountylee

Whaaaaaaaah.


7 posted on 04/09/2006 11:47:58 PM PDT by taxesareforever (Never forget Matt Maupin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ncountylee

Only 13 federal judges have been impeached in U.S. history, all for high crimes and not for ``misinterpreting'' the law, Ginsburg said.



Hey, maybe she needs to learn that the Supreme Court isn't the only branch of government capable of setting new precedents.


8 posted on 04/10/2006 1:12:56 AM PDT by old republic
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: LibertarianInExile

Ginsburg discussing judicial integrity is like Typhoid Mary discussing food sanitation.


9 posted on 04/10/2006 5:25:15 AM PDT by Vigilanteman (crime would drop like a sprung trapdoor if we brought back good old-fashioned hangings)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: old republic

Hey Buzzy, being a mouthpiece for the anti-American pro-Communist ACLU ought to be an impeachable offense. Your impeached colleage congress critter Hastings was merely a partaker of bribery, whereas you do unethical things, like pretending to be an American, for free.


10 posted on 04/10/2006 5:27:52 AM PDT by Vigilanteman (crime would drop like a sprung trapdoor if we brought back good old-fashioned hangings)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: jwh_Denver

Yep. It shows that we have not done our duty to hold the judicary accountable.


11 posted on 04/10/2006 6:26:42 AM PDT by untrained skeptic
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: taxesareforever

no, snoooorre


12 posted on 04/11/2006 10:55:24 AM PDT by stan_sipple
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson