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Alito Gives Congressional Black Caucus the Finger Email Print

By Omen
12/13/2005 11:57:16 AM EST

[Crossposted at Daily Kos]

Don't be shocked if the Congressinal Black Caucus doesn't support Sam Alito's quest to be a Supreme Court Justice. The CBC's request to meet Alito was snubbed recently.  

Does this mean much? Well, if you don't care about the CBC, or you think Alito is an OK guy then the answer is "no." Otherwise, you should be at least a little concerned.

By all means, continue:

You see, the CBC is known as "the Conscience of the Congress since 1969" and has actually done some noteworthy things. This isn't some makeshift group, some plant used to discredit or smear. The CBC doesn't work that way.

They sent a letter requesting to meet Alito on November 7th of this year. Since then, Alito has meet with Sen. Mary L. Landrieu, Sen. Sam Brownback, Sen. Arlen Specter, Sen. Herb Kohl, Sen. Russ Feingold, and others. Barack Obama, the only CBC member who can vote on Alito, had this to say when the nomination was announced (emphasis mine):


Though I will reserve judgment on how I will vote on Judge Alito's nomination until after the hearings, I am concerned that President Bush has wasted an opportunity to appoint a consensus nominee in the mold of Sandra Day O'Connor and has instead made a selection to appease the far right-wing of the Republican Party.

Well, we've all had enough time to know what he could bring to the Supreme Court. From SaveTheCourt.org:


An African American had been convicted of felony murder by an all white jury from which black jurors had been impermissibly struck because of their race.  Alito cast the deciding vote and wrote the majority opinion in a 2-1 ruling rejecting the defendant's claims. The full Third Circuit, in a split decision, reversed Alito's ruling, and the majority specifically criticized him for having compared statistical evidence about the prosecution's exclusion of blacks from juries in capital cases to an explanation of why a disproportionate number of recent U.S. Presidents have been left-handed.  According to the majority, "[t]o suggest any comparability to the striking of jurors based on their race is to minimize the history of discrimination against prospective black jurors and black defendants . . ."

So what does this means? Quite simply, Alito couldn't care less what black people think of him. If he just needs the Senate to get in, and only there's only one black Senator, why bother to meet with any of them?

I take it as a blatant sign of disrespect. Yes, the CBC also requested to meet John Roberts during his nomination (they had an issue or two with him as well), but at least Roberts was decent enough to formerly reject their offer.

Alito's actions only give Democrats one more reason to push for a filabuster.


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Poll

Should Alito meet with the CBC?
The more people he meets with, the better for his image. 100%
No; the CBC is not that important. 0%
Only if to meet Obama. 0%
What the CBC does doesn't apply to Alito's nomination. 0%

Votes: 4
Results | Other Polls
< Serial Killer Confesses to 30,000 Murders - Receives Applause | US Fights Back Against International Bullies >
 Display:
Alito Gives Congressional Black Caucus the Finger | 14 comments (14 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)
Today's Anti-Alito Action! (5.00 / 2)
it's up and ready to roll over at bootrib!  today's focus is on alito's apparent disdain for minorities' rights and his stubborn refusal to even acknowledge the existence of discrimination.

please vist and use the information to compel your senators to quash his nomination!

http://www.boomantribune.co m/?op=displaystory;sid=2005 /12/13/75525/572

This diary is for For Justice: Day 2 regarding Alito's positions on age discrimination & FMLA.

My own "copper coinage" (I have someone here to thank for that phrase): States have rights; people don't. This warped concept is as antebellum as it is evil. Don't be fooled because Alito's bright enough not to snarl; he's as wingnut as they come ... only quieter.

Anyway, please take this letter and adapt as you will. Feel free to use all or in part.


And pass it on!

People forget that redemption is tailor-made for the wretched. - Tookie Williams

by Cedwyn on 12/13/2005 02:16:55 PM EST

Did you see Boxer's petition? (5.00 / 2)
She says: "Urge Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter to hold hearings into the President's conduct, before beginning Supreme Court nomination hearings for Judge Alito - sign my petition today!"

No Alito hearings until george is investigated!

I've seen cite the number of signatures on her online polls on the floor of the Senate, so this is important. Only ~35,000 have signed as of now.

Sign the petition and give your country an early Fitzmas gift!

by cotterperson on 12/22/2005 12:07:14 PM EST

Thank you! (none / 0)
For dropping that link in here!

The 12 days of Justice diaries should have that link as soon as I get the time.

We try to link to this diary by Omen as well since it is a perfect companion piece to what we were trying to do.

If you see anymore links that are pertinent drop them in there. Or in here since it is linked to our little effort as well. Diaries, petitions, etc., anything that might help spread information of how bad this SCOTUS choice really is.

Guaranteed to be plastered all over the Internet
Drinking Liberally in New Milford

by Connecticut Man1 on 12/23/2005 05:05:37 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Nice post, and (4.50 / 2)
I love your title.

by D Cupples on 12/14/2005 03:11:33 AM EST

Thanx! n/t (4.50 / 2)

Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter...

by Omen on 12/15/2005 12:30:06 PM EST

[ Parent ]
i'm posting this (none / 1)
in all the same places that the bootrib diary series has been going.

People forget that redemption is tailor-made for the wretched. - Tookie Williams

by Cedwyn on 12/18/2005 03:18:28 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Yet another reason to: (none / 1)
Tell your Senators, no to Alito:

Save the Court Petition

And while you're at it: sign Planned Parenthood's anti-Alito petition, too:
Planned Parenthood Petition

NARAL is shooting for 500,000 signatures, please add yours:

Naral Anti-Alito Petition

And don't forget: urge Congress to support Plan B:

Plan B Petition

And for those of you "tired" of this action, apparently others aren't: from 2 to 20 readers contact their senators to protest Alito's nomination every time I post it.

(And through actions like this, Save the Court has prompted over 54,000 citizens to contact their Senators to protest Alito.)

I also get thanks from those new to the site, because they didn't otherwise know how to contact their congress people, and I don't know how many others (but it appears, nearly 200) also signed Planned Parenthood and NARAL's petitions, and urged Congress to support Plan B.

If I were to circulate a petition in my physical neighborhood in Los Angeles, it would mean only that my already left-leaning California representatives would be contacted yet again: the above action, has collected signatures from nearly every state in the union (including the square states.)

It's great that Political Cortex provides the dialogue that gathers all of us together, but talking among ourselves should lead to action.

So, if you're "tired" of this one, skip it. You know what it looks like, don't bother to read it. Move on, to what's new to you, or what you'd rather comment on.

Or grade me down, I don't even know what that means (I just learned what html was last week.)

by judybrowni on 12/13/2005 01:06:06 PM EST

You are everywhere on the net (none / 0)
For this issue. I am glad that more people are working against Alito's nomination every day!


Say no to back alley abortions!
SAY NO TO ALITO!

Guaranteed to be plastered all over the Internet
Drinking Liberally in New Milford

by Connecticut Man1 on 12/16/2005 02:54:09 PM EST

[ Parent ]
pile on alito! (none / 1)
today's anti-alito brigade for justice diary is on roe v. wade!  

use the information to cajole your senators!

People forget that redemption is tailor-made for the wretched. - Tookie Williams

by Cedwyn on 12/16/2005 12:48:24 PM EST

Day 8 (none / 0)
 For Justice- Day 8 - Old Boys Club
by Teacher Toni

Do you remember when you were a kid, and
members of the opposite sex had "cooties?"  Some boys might have
even gone so far as to post a sign like this

Image hosted by Photobucket.com

on the door of their hang out.

Sadly, some boys never grow up and never want to let the girls (of
African-Americans, or Hispanics, etc.) in their club.  This brings
us to today's installment of keep Alito off the Supreme Court.

In the early 70's, Alito belonged to an organization called Concerned
Alumni of Princeton(CAP).  This article from the Princeton student
paper does a good job getting some insight from alumni about CAP

http://www.dailyprincetonia n.com/archives/2005/11/18/n ews/13876.shtml

Well you say, that was a long time ago.  Even that 1985 job
application was 20 years ago.  People can change, right?

 Sure, but let's make sure that our Senators do a good job of
finding out if Alito's attitudes have actually changed.  

It was the Right's concerns that Harriet Meirs past beliefs and actions
meant that she wasn't conservative enough for them.  Perhaps,
applying the same standards will reveal that Alito is too conservative.

I propose that you encourage your Senator to do the following:


Dear Senator,

The hearings for Judge Samuel Alito's nomination to the Supreme Court
should shed light on the judge's rather long legal history.  He
has written much and presided over many cases.

I urge you, however, to ask Judge Alito about an organization that he
voluntarily joined, the Concerned Alumni of Princeton.  This was
an organization that dedicated itself to excluded women and minorities
from attending Princeton.  It is the actions of organizations like
these that have driven the need for programs like affirmative action.

Judge Alito has even stated that he is "proud" that he has worked on
cases that argued against affirmative action.  Is that still the
case?

It seems that an excellent predictor of a person's future action is to
look at past actions.  This does not, of course, mean that people
can't change.  It does mean, that your job is to determine if
Samuel Alito has changed his views or are his ideas so set in stone,
that no matter the case, his mind is made up beforehand.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,




a concerned tax paying citizen  

Please contact your Senators, newspapers, and everyone on Monday.
 Alito will probably play the amnesia card, as suggested by this
Washington Post article.

Let's jar his memory.

Guaranteed to be plastered all over the Internet
Drinking Liberally in New Milford

by Connecticut Man1 on 12/19/2005 12:16:07 PM EST

omen's diary (none / 1)
goes especially well with the info on CAP!

thanks for posting this, omen. i've been plastering it everywhere!  LOL

People forget that redemption is tailor-made for the wretched. - Tookie Williams

by Cedwyn on 12/19/2005 03:03:21 PM EST

[ Parent ]
I try :) n/t (none / 0)

Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter...

by Omen on 12/22/2005 11:05:28 AM EST

[ Parent ]
there is also (none / 1)
sort of an Alito clearing house at this diary.  if you find Alito tidbits, please post them there - it's good to keep all the dirt in one pile, knowwhatimean?

: p

People forget that redemption is tailor-made for the wretched. - Tookie Williams

by Cedwyn on 12/22/2005 08:58:26 PM EST

[ Parent ]
info on alito's (none / 1)
pandering to presidents.  it bodes not well.

People forget that redemption is tailor-made for the wretched. - Tookie Williams

by Cedwyn on 12/23/2005 03:55:19 PM EST

Alito Gives Congressional Black Caucus the Finger | 14 comments (14 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)
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