Wednesday, April 07, 2004

 

Court of Appalls

Two Reporters Told to Erase Scalia Tapes
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† †By DENISE GRONES, Associated Press Writer

HATTIESBURG, Miss. ó Two reporters were ordered Wednesday to erase their tape recordings of a speech by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia at a Mississippi high school.

Scalia has long barred television cameras from his speeches, but does not always forbid newspaper photographers and tape recorders. On Wednesday, he did not warn the audience at the high school that recording devices would be forbidden.

* * * * [here's the kicker:]

Last year, Scalia was criticized for refusing to allow television and radio coverage of an event in Ohio in which he received an award for supporting free speech.

Scalia, who was appointed to the bench by President Reagan in 1986, told students that the Constitution's true meaning must always be protected.

"The Constitution of the United States is extraordinary and amazing. People just don't revere it like they used to," Scalia told a full auditorium of high school students, officials, religious leaders.

He said he spends most of his time thinking about the Constitution, calling it "a brilliant piece of work."

Oh, come now, Justice Scalia -- you're too modest. You're quite a "piece of work" yourself. (Although I'd substitute the adjective "nasty," in place of "brilliant.")

I can certainly see where Scalia's coming from, though, on the media-coverage question. After all, his hand-selected winner of the partial vote recount in Florida (and, in turn, Bush's equally-unelected minions) have been recorded relentlessly on audio and video for the past three years -- and look where it's getting them now.

posted by Michael 10:37 PM