THE SHADOWY, MYSTERIOUS, AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS FEDERALIST SOCIETY
TKS
jim geraghty reporting
Is it just me, or does today's New York Times make the Federalist Society sound like a branch of al-Qaeda?
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Remarkable in its growth and reach, the society was founded in 1982 by law students unhappy with what they saw as liberal dominance in law school faculties and the courts. It now claims 35,000 participants (some paying dues and some not) and has chapters in virtually every law school and in 60 cities. Part of the society's influence stems from its sponsorship of public debates, which hone and promote conservative points of view.
But much of the influence, and most of the intrigue, flows from an informal social network, which members use to advance one another's causes and careers. Openly and behind the scenes, members have played prominent roles in the most pitched political battles in recent years, including the impeachment of President Bill Clinton and the Florida recount fracas in 2000 that led to the election of Mr. Bush.
The society takes few official positions. But to some liberal critics, the activism of its members conjures all they fear about the legal right, from the defense of states' rights and business interests to attacks on affirmative action, gay rights and abortion. One liberal blog, democrats.com, called the group "the conservative cabal that is attacking America from within."
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I still contend that stories like this are designed to be cover for Senate Democrats, so they can ultimately vote 'no' on Roberts, concluding there are "too many unanswered questions" about his "troubling and deeply held beliefs."
Look, folks, everything we have heard, seen and read about Roberts suggests that he would be a reliably right-of-center justice, somewhere between Kennedy and Scalia and Thomas, probably most like Renquist. That's about what we can expect from Bush's nominees. The president's concession to Democrats is that he picked the nominee who is probably most widely respected and liked in the legal community.
What's the over/under on the number of Senate Democrats who vote for Roberts? If it's 7.5, I would take the under.
tks.nationalreview.com
nytimes.com |
