Democrats Press Court Designee Over Mutual Fund Case

[Judi Lynn]

Democrats Press Court Designee Over Mutual Fund Case

By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
Published: November 10, 2005
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 - Laying the groundwork for a possible strategy of attacking Judge Samuel A. Alito Jr., Senate Democrats are ratcheting up their questions about the judge's failure to disqualify himself from a case involving Vanguard, the mutual fund company that managed his investments.

While Judge Alito, President Bush's choice for the Supreme Court, continued Wednesday to pay courtesy visits in the Senate, all eight Democrats on the Judiciary Committee sent a letter about the Vanguard case to Judge Anthony J. Scirica, who is chief judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, where Judge Alito sits.

The letter asked for documents relating to the Vanguard case, including records of "any communication between Judge Alito and you, any other member of the court, or the court's staff" discussing a promise by Judge Alito in 1990, made in a Senate questionnaire submitted as part of his appeals court confirmation, to recuse himself from matters involving Vanguard.

Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the minority leader, circulated a so-called talking points memo to fellow Democrats on Wednesday titled "The Alito Alert," raising questions about the Vanguard case.
(snip/...)

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/10/politics/politicsspecial1/10confirm.html

[Democat]

1. Great strategy!

Glad to see Democrats have a strategy. The Vanguard case should disquality him from sitting on the Supreme Court.

Democrats need to lay groundwork for justifying a filibuster. Even if we lose the filibuster, we win, because Republicans will never be able to use the filibuster again once we take over the Senate.

[ashling]

2. Great -

and I've got to say, it is about time. This has been hanging out there as it was reported i the WaPo and elsewhere a while back.

[Gloria]

3. THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO SEE!!!

eom

[texpatriot2004]

4. Awesome. They should explore that. n.t

[BattyDem]

5. Reid has really mastered the art of "strategy"

:evilgrin:

[ShockediSay]

6. Enough culture rich with corruption

being business as usual, especially on the Supreme Court.

[DeepModem Mom]

7. kick

[leftchick]

8. Democrats Focus on 2002 Alito Case

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051110/ap_on_go_su_co/alito


WASHINGTON - Senate Democrats are pressing for extensive records on the participation of Judge Samuel Alito in an appeals case involving a mutual fund company with which he had a six-figure investment.

In their first coordinated challenge to Alito's nomination to the Supreme Court, the eight Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday sent a letter to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals saying Alito had promised the panel in 1990 he would "disqualify myself from any cases involving the Vanguard companies."

The letter requests the original opinion in the 2002 case, which was unpublished. It also seeks any communication "from or to the White House, the Justice Department ... or anyone else on their behalf" concerning Alito's decision to participate in the case, in which a three-judge panel ruled on behalf of Vanguard and other investment firms. The companies had been sued by a widow who claimed she was denied funds originally belonging to her deceased husband.

The White House, saying Alito has acted ethically throughout his career, dismissed the suggestion that there was something wrong in this case. "Judge Alito looks forward to answering any questions that committee members may ask him at the hearing about this issue," said Steven Schmidt, an administration spokesman.

[Jim__]

9. Sounds like a great case to challenge him on!

Alito sides with a bank he is heavily invested in against a widow. Just another corrupt repub.