Scalia apologizes for recording erasure

[hiphopnation]

<snip>

Scalia apologizes for recording erasure
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By Anne Gearan

April 12, 2004 | WASHINGTON (AP) -- Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has apologized for an incident last week in which a U.S. marshal erased reporters' recordings of a speech Scalia gave to high school students.

"I have written to the reporters involved, extending my apology," Scalia said in a letter to the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.

Scalia normally bars television cameras from his appearances, but his policy on the use of small audio recorders has not been clear-cut. Newspaper and other print reporters typically use the devices to ensure the accuracy of quotations but not to record speeches or other remarks for broadcast.

http://www.salon.com/news/wire/2004/04/12/scalia/index.html

If you're not a subscriber you may not to view all of the article. I'll look for more links...

[freetobegay]

1. What a fucking idiot!

This man has got to go!

[hang a left]

2. Here is the original article

A Justice's Sense of Privilege
By BOB HERBERT

Published: April 12, 2004


Antoinette Konz is a young education reporter for The Hattiesburg American, a daily newspaper with a circulation of about 25,000 in Hattiesburg, Miss. Ms. Konz, 25, has only been in the business for a couple of years, so her outlook hasn't been soiled by the cranks and the criminals, and the pretzel-shaped politicians that so many of us have been covering for too many years to count.

She considered it a big deal when one of the schools on her beat, the Presbyterian Christian High School, invited her to cover a speech that was delivered last Wednesday by Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

About 300 people, many of them students, filled the school's gymnasium for the speech. They greeted Justice Scalia with a standing ovation.

Ms. Konz and a reporter for The Associated Press, Denise Grones, were seated in the front row. They began to take notes. And when Justice Scalia began speaking, they clicked on their tape recorders.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/12/opinion/12HERB.html

on edit for a bunch of stuff

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

3. Now, about that little election fraud thing...

You have one or two more things left on your plate to apologize for, Mr. Chief Justice. Feel free to step forward at any time. We'll be waiting...

[seemslikeadream]

8. Cheney and his buddy Scalia

[Taylor Mason Powell]

28. Not chief justice...

but your point is dead-on.

[Canuckistanian]

4. What an outrage

A public servant who gives a speech in a public place, with the general public attending has the right to censor his own statements?
I'm not gonna say it....

[Toucano]

13. At least one speech wasn't in public, though.

It was at a private, fundie X-tian school.

[Bluzmann57]

5. He apologizes?!

Why the hell did he do it in the first place? Reporters doing their jobs? When they actually do, they get censored. They all have to go.

[Occulus]

16. I think he's saying this was done w/o his knowledge or consent.

If that's the case, well... I hate to do it, but I'd have to give him props for it. That is a demonstration of ethical behavior. Now if, on the other hand, it came out the Federal officials present had standing orders from him to confiscate recordings, well... it would look very bad indeed.

edited to add:

from http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2004-04-12-scalia-usat_x.htm

Scalia now says he is changing his policy of forbidding newspaper reporters from recording his speeches. He apparently is sticking to his ban on audio or video recordings for radio or television.

Scalia also wrote to the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, which had criticized the marshal's action. He said it "was not taken at my direction."

In his April 9 letter to Lucy Dalglish, executive director of the Reporters Committee, the justice said, "I was as upset as you were. I have written to the reporters involved, extending my apology."

I'm not defending Scalia in general; just this one specific decision. I still believe he's compromised the integrity of the SCOTUS as well as his own impartiality in the Cheney case re the energy task force, and I don't stand with him at all ideaologically (sp?).

[anarchy1999]

33. Are you really believing this line of BS?

n/t

He didn't know and he didn't condone the actions, you are kidding, right?n Apologies only come from this man when his pants are down.

[gottaB]

35. WARNING--OFFENSIVE IMAGE BELOW

Apologies only come from this man when his pants are down.







And if all you get is an apology, consider yourself blessed.

[NMLobo]

29. I'm Sorry

That I got busted. :eyes:

Bite me Scaglia! I fart in your general direction.

[MaineDem]

6. Has he apologized to the American people?

Of course not!

Remember, it's a lot easier to ask for forgiveness after the fact! It doesn't mean what he did was correct. He's bad news.

[Tellurian]

7. I hope the reporter had a spare recorder...

seeing that Scalia was just funnin with him.

Hey, Anton, ok to publish?

[Gothmog]

9. He needs to be impeached

This was just one of a series of arrogant episodes. The refusal to recuse himself from the Cheney case is unbelievable. This is on top of Bush v. Gore.

The fact that people are still mentioning as chief justice is just wrong.

[gottaB]

11. Yes, we need to impeach him

he sucks.

[Octafish]

14. ERASE Scalia.

In the nicest sense, of course: Impeachment. Trial. Conviction. Prison for Life. That sort of thing.

Does Spandau still stand?

[struggle4progress]

20. "Tape Recorder Apologizes for Scalia"

Now that would be a headline ...

[Octafish]

24. First time the word "justice" should be associated with Scalia.

The guy's a royal turd of the Bush Organized Crime Family.

Didja ever hear of Fat Tony Supremo and the Supremos?

[JohnOneillsMemory]

30. "Scalia apologizes for erasing the Constitution." see my sig. quote. n/t

[gottaB]

22. Spandau prison was destroyed after Heß died

But the Citadel still stands.

Leavenworth?

[Octafish]

25. Leavenworth.

There they could spend the rest of their natural days making little rocks out of big rocks. Those of weaker constitutions, such as Cheney, could have the option of making license plates. Bush, the weakest mentality, could work in the prison library. This, of course, would be predicated on their actual sentences and punishments.

One thing is crucial, in order to avoid NAZI history from repeating itself, yet again: All of their cells must be equipped with tamper-proof 24/7 degree/absolute surveillance, which can be monitored by anyone with Internet access. It would also be broadcast in post offices, shopping malls, public-access channels, public schools and conveyed through every other means of mass communication.

Danke schön, Herr gottaB!

[a_random_joel]

10. "I couldn't find The Chains Of Love on I-Tunes!!!" - Scalia

n/t

[seafan]

12. Get a load of this Scalia quote...

The AP reported that Scalia told the high school students, "The Constitution of the United States is extraordinary and amazing. People just don't revere it like they used to."


Yeah, Tony, you ought to know. By your hand, a democratic presidential election was stolen from THE PEOPLE. And we are paying dearly in ways that will haunt us for decades to come.

[shanti]

15. BFD

the tapes are already erased, the damage is done! :grr:

[Disturbed]

18. The Heat is on him.

Scalia knows that his refusal to recuse himself has
put a lot of heat on him. This episode is further heat, so he decided to lower the temp. on himself. The hearing on Secret Energy Meeting is this week.

[UTUSN]

19. Really? (SCALIA Apologizes). Could He Resign and Exile? n/t

[Kadie]

21. He has a lot more to apologize for

a lot more.

[yellowcanine]

23. I just saw a pig flying and this explains it.

I hear hell has been hit with a cold snap as well. A rightwing pubbie apologizes? Was it a real apology or one of those "I am sorry if you were offended" jobs?

[ncrainbowgrrl]

38. I think it was along the lines of the Trent Lott apology.

No pigs flying yet.

Pork:The other white meat.

[teryang]

26. Under what legal authority does he forbid recording?

He is a public figure. When he appears or speaks in a public place, he has no proprietary right to contain or prohibit recordings or videos. Do the officials of the executive branch say "you know my policy you are forbidden to record me?" His first amendment right? It's a property right not a first amendment right and you waive it in a public place if you are a public figure.

In a private school, the privilege of recording may be witheld as a condition of the license to enter the premises by the school, not the justice.

[rustydog]

27. It is easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission...

Bernie Ward's quote.
Very apropos for Reich-wing Scalia don't you think?

[Dr Fate]

31. Secrecy & Facism are two ugly cousins...

And Scalia is one ugly man, inside & out.

[0007]

34. Very well said!

[anarchy1999]

32. The only reason this man apologizes is if the HEAT IS ON!

I think this just might be one he can not get out of. Only reason for an apology. Pacify the masses. If it was not a criminal offense, he would not be apologizing. Period. Scalia finally stumbled into one scandal he can not get out of without an apology. Don't be fooled, there is no apology in our democracy that will get him out of this one. He is a "dead man walking". IMHO.

[RoyGBiv]

36. Court Recorders

Upon reading this story about what Scalia allows at his public appearances, a friend of mine suggested that the solution was for reporters to employ the use of a court stenographer, or learn to use the machines court recorders use themselves.

Of course, reporters would have to develop some level of interest in doing their jobs properly even to think of doing this, but still...

[salin]

37. predicted lesson learned:

tell all reporters and audience members they can not audio tape anything - and make the warning clear in advance.

I predict that this will not lead to his allowing coverage - just being clear from the beginning that it isn't allowed (maybe also requiring some kind of screening at the door of venues to ensure folks don't have recorders?)

[opihimoimoi]

39. The Dummy prolly had his ears boxed in a few dozen times.

The NeoCons, desperate to cover their asses, including his, sent the Corelones to convince him with an offer he couldn't refuse.

Apologize or Spanking