Supreme Court Senate Hearing

Samuel Anthony Alito Jr. (born April 1, 1950) is a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. On October 31, 2005, President George W. Bush nominated him to the position of Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.




A Distinguished Career:

1976 - 1977 - Law clerk for Leonard I. Garth of the Third Circuit.
1977 - 1981 - Assistant United States Attorney, District of New Jersey.
1981 - 1985 - Assistant to Solicitor General Rex E. Lee.
1985 - 1987 - Deputy Assistant to Attorney General Edwin Meese.
1987 - 1990 - United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey.
1990 - pres. - Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
1999 - 2004 - Adjunct Professor of Law at Seton Hall University School of Law in Newark, New Jersey.

Alito upon his induction as a U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals judge, 1990 Alito argued twelve cases before the Supreme Court for the federal government during his tenure as assistant to the Solicitor General. While serving as an attorney for New Jersey, he prosecuted many cases that involved drug trafficking and organized crime.
In his 1985 application for Deputy Assistant to the Attorney General, Alito espoused conservative views, naming William F. Buckley, Jr., the National Review, Alexander Bickel, and Barry Goldwater's 1964 campaign as major influences. He also expressed concern about Warren Court decisions in the areas of criminal procedure, the Establishment Clause, and reapportionment. He stated he was proud to prepare cases arguing that "racial and ethnic quotas should not be allowed and that the Constitution does not protect a right to an abortion."

Alito was nominated by George H. W. Bush on February 20, 1990 to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Alito was rated by the American Bar Association as "Well Qualified" at the time of his nomination. He was confirmed by unanimous consent in the Senate on April 27, 1990. As a Third Circuit judge, his chambers are in Newark, New Jersey.

As adjunct professor at Seton Hall University School of Law, Alito has taught courses in Constitutional Law and an original course on terrorism and civil liberties. In 1995, Judge Alito was presented with that law school's Saint Thomas More Medal, "in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of law."

In one of his most well-known opinions, he dissented in a 2-1 decision in Planned Parenthood v. Casey in 1991. In that case, he voted to uphold a Pennsylvania law that required women to inform their husbands before having an abortion, noting that the law allowed certain exceptions, such as an abusive spouse. In a 5-4 vote, a divided Supreme Court narrowly struck down the law in 1992. In another case Judge Alito's dissent argued that the law and the Constitution did not prohibit law enforcement officers in possession of a valid search warrant from stripsearching residents of that building who were not named in the warrant (in this case a woman and 10 year old girl).

Affectionate law clerks created a blend of coffee, a mixture of Colombian, Java and New Guinea with a bit of espresso, in his honor. At the T.M. Ward Coffee Co. coffeehouse in downtown Newark, "Judge Alito's Bold Justice Blend" sells well.

Here we go again. Listening to the Senate hearings for Judge Alito only validifies my argument; that the Democrats ongoing mission to stop anything President Bush tries to do in his final two years of his presidency is alive and well. Do those that support these Senators support the insults and innuendos coming from their mouths?

I am in college, I suppose any paper I write I should insert "this does not represent the exclusive beliefs of the writer", just in case I ever have to defend my position later. You know, I should also be careful who I am friends with because I should know ahead of time if they are going to do something illegal, so I can protect myself from being accused of a crime such as "guilt by association".

Probably the most disturbing thing I saw today was the exchange between Judge Alito and Senator Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. After 30 minutes of questioning that found them both in agreement in much of what was discussed, Senator Schumer read off a pre-written summary of why he could not vote for his nomination. ???? Schumaker already knew ahead of time before any questioning he was voting NO! Something stinks here. Do you smell it?