Friday morning docket: Specter wants his SCOTUS-TV!
You rarely see GOP Sen. John Cornyn on the same side of an issue with Democrats like Sens. Chuck Schumer and Russ Feingold. But yesterday they all joined Sen. Arlen Specter in introducing a resolution that Supreme Court proceedings should be televised.
Now, the resolution can’t force the justices of the Court to get ready for their close-ups. But it does put the issue of televising High Court sessions back in the headlines.
“The Supreme Court makes pronouncements on Constitutional and federal law that have direct impacts on the rights of Americans,” Specter said. “Those rights would be substantially enhanced by televising the oral arguments of the Court so that the public can see and hear the issues presented.”
Specter also pointed out that some justices - including Justice Antonin Scalia, who has expressed reservations about televising oral arguments - have no problem going before cameras on network news shows to promote books and the like.
“We cannot accept the justices’ plea for anonymity when they so regularly appear before the camera,” Specter said, according to The BLT’s David Ingram.
Specter also noted that the Court’s most vocal opponent of televising Court arguments, Justice David Souter, has retired, while other justices such as Justice Sonia Sotomayor has indicated a willingness to discuss the positive potential of televised arguments.
Meanwhile, in other legal news inside the Beltway,
An ENDA to bias? The chairman of a key Senate committee urged passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would bar adverse employment actions based on sexual orientation or gender identity. (Lawyers USA)
Leaving H1N1 home: Emergency temporary federal legislation has been introduced that would guarantee five paid sick days per year for a worker sent home for a contagious illness, such as the H1N1 flu.(Lawyers USA)
BPA-free - or not: A recent study by Consumer Reports found that many food products, including canned soups, juice, tuna, packaged organic foods and items labeled “BPA-free,” contained measurable levels of Bisphenol A. (Lawyers USA)
Saturday House call: House leaders plan to hold a rare Saturday vote on the health care bill. (Washington Post)
