The confirmation hearings for Supreme Court justice nominee Elena Kagan are now under way, following the opening statement of Judiciary Committee chair Pat Leahy.
We'll be feeding live updates on the hearings as they carry on, beginning with opening statements from members of the committee that are expected to last throughout the afternoon, ending with Kagan's introductory statement. You can find the continuously-updated feed here.
The Tribune's Jim Oliphant had a scene-setter this morning. D.C. Now answers some of the questions about the hearings as they begin.
And be sure to check out this podcast with Tribune's David Savage, who has covered the confirmation hearings for every sitting Supreme Court justice except John Paul Stevens, the man Kagan would replace if confirmed.
Comments
Kagan Never Banned Recruiters From Harvard Law School
Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan has been the victim of repeated smears from the right since the day she was nominated. Of course, we know that the President could have nominated Christ himself and Republicans would have called him a socialist radical-- anything to keep the President from getting his way.
The worst of all the smears is that Elena Kagan is somehow anti-military because she allegedly kicked military recruiters of the campus of Harvard Law School during her tenure as dean there.
There's only one problem with that line of thinking: it's 100% false.
http://networkedblogs.com/3WwxG
Posted by: aj fleck | June 28, 2010 1:10 PM
Stop the presses!
.
Today we know another issue that Kagan won't have to decide if and when she makes it to the U.S.S.C. In the case of McDonald v. Chicago, the United States Supreme Court held that the Second Amendment Right to Keep and Bear Arms is incorporated into the Fourteenth Amendment. As a result, it reversed the Seventh Circuit’s decision upholding Chicago’s gun ban. Whether or not, and to what degree, Chicago’s gun control ordinances get entirely axed is another matter. What is important, however, is that the Court held that a State or local government like the City of Chicago cannot entirely ban the keeping and bearing of arms like many do. See McDonald v. Chicago http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/09pdf/08-1521.pdf
Posted by: John W. | June 28, 2010 2:33 PM
The Republicans already damaged themselves over Sotomayor.
People don't want to see honorable judicial candidates smeared. Even that creep Clarence Thomas benefitted from a backlash when he was attacked.
The image of a white all-Bubba Wingnut panel bashing away at that nice lady judge won't play well in Peoria.
Posted by: JoeinLowell | June 28, 2010 2:56 PM
They are aren't playing well anywhere, " JoeinLowell " so you can count on them to do the ignoble thing; pester, badger and of course, pile on with the snide remarks!! After all, these are the fat-cats, in our Senate, enjoying free healthcare, which was paid for by the very people who now need help, and what do these fat-cats do? They filibuster against an unemployment benefits extension, for our neediest citizens and families. These fat-cats have been filibustering against it for the last 6-8 weeks, meanwhile what are these families to do, go hungry, go criminal or go ballistic!!? What a bunch of great Obstructionists, these Americans are !!
All of this coming about, due to the Bush&Cheney's complicity in the obliteration of over 8-9,000,0000 jobs, during their devastating, 8 year stay in our White House. Fortunately, for America, we didn't replace that mindless set, with another; Palin and McCain !! We replaced them with President Obama and Vice-President Biden, two Americans that have all of America in mind, as they struggle, undoing the Bush&Cheney incompetence and malfeasance, during that 8 year charade !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | June 29, 2010 9:17 AM
There goes FITZ again with that goofy stat of 8,000,000 jobs lost because of two-term President Bush and Vice-President Cheney.
The only part of America the BO and his sidekick Joe the Mouth have on their mind is our wallets
Posted by: Terry | June 29, 2010 7:09 PM