Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia gets so riled up by The Washington Post, he writes letters to the editor — “just for my own satisfaction” — only to rip them up and throw them out.
The anecdote comes from C-SPAN’s preview of its Q-and-A interview with Scalia, set to air July 29. C-SPAN founder Brian Lamb asked Scalia to weigh in on why the high court is so intent on keeping cameras out of the courtroom and sensitive about the public’s perception of its activity. The C-SPAN interview follows an appearance by Scalia on Piers Morgan’s CNN show, where Scalia discussed the recent health care reform decision and his relationship with Chief Justice John Roberts.
“I’m sensitive because … judges ought to express their views on the law in their opinions,” Scalia said. “I also don’t like drawing the courts into the political maelstrom by, you know, having their opinions repeatedly pawed over; especially the controversial ones.”
“Isn’t that democracy?” Lamb asked.
Sure, said Scalia, but it’s tradition that the court doesn’t respond to the press’ criticism. “We get clobbered by the press all the time,” the associate justice said. “I can’t tell you how many wonderful letters I’ve written to the Washington Post, for my own satisfaction, and then ripped up and thrown away.”
Watch the video:
h/t Politico.
David Taintor
David Taintor is TPM’s News Editor. He contributes to TPM’s Livewire coverage, among other areas. David is from Chanhassen, Minnesota, where, yes, it gets very cold. Reach him at taintor [at] talkingpointsmemo.com
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