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Alito Snubs Congressional Blacks
As Democrats and Republicans spar over a potential filibuster by Democrats to block Samuel Alito's nomination to the Supreme Court, members of the Congressional Black Caucus say Alito snubbed their recent request for a meeting.
"We never heard back from anyone in Alito's office," Myra Dandridge, a spokeswoman for the Congressional Black Caucus, told BlackAmericaWeb.com Monday.
Dandridge said the caucus, which has been critical of Alito's judicial opinions involving race, asked for a meeting with Alito last month but never got a response.
"We just assumed the answer was no," Dandridge said.
Last week, the Congressional Black Caucus announced its collective opposition to Alito, saying Alito's conservative views could place longstanding civil rights legislation in jeopardy.
"The members of the CBC are concerned about Judge Alito's opinions, many in dissent, in race cases where his decisions have disproportionately affected African-Americans," Rep. Mel Watt (D-N.C.), chairman of the caucus, said last week.
"We are troubled by what appears to be a very conservative judicial philosophy that seems greatly at odds with much of 20th century constitutional jurisprudence," he said.
The Caucus is particularly concerned that Judge Alito has been nominated to fill the seat of a moderate justice, Sandra Day O’Connor, who was the deciding vote in decisions of great importance to blacks, including civil rights, reproductive health, religious liberty and environmental protection.
Bush on the Constitution: 'It's just a goddamned piece of paper'
Last month, Republican Congressional leaders filed into the Oval Office to meet with President George W. Bush and talk about renewing the controversial USA Patriot Act.
Several provisions of the act, passed in the shell shocked period immediately following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, caused enough anger that liberal groups like the American Civil Liberties Union had joined forces with prominent conservatives like Phyllis Schlafly and Bob Barr to oppose renewal.
GOP leaders told Bush that his hardcore push to renew the more onerous provisions of the act could further alienate conservatives still mad at the President from his botched attempt to nominate White House Counsel Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court.
"I don't give a goddamn," Bush retorted. "I'm the President and the Commander-in-Chief. Do it my way."
"Mr. President," one aide in the meeting said. "There is a valid case that the provisions in this law undermine the Constitution."
"Stop throwing the Constitution in my face," Bush screamed back. "It's just a goddamned piece of paper!"
Put aside, for a moment, political affiliation or personal beliefs. It doesn't matter if you are a Democrat, Republican or Independent. It doesn't matter if you support the invasion or Iraq or not. Despite our differences, the Constitution has stood for two centuries as the defining document of our government, the final source to determine-in the end-if something is legal or right.
Every federal official-including the President-who takes an oath of office swears to "uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States." Capitol Hill Blue
By DOUG THOMPSON
Dec 9, 2005
Another holiday season, another embarassing office Christmas party video—except this time, the office is the San Francisco police department and the employees behaving badly are cops.
At a news conference at City Hall Wednesday evening, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom described the videos as "a series of vignettes, skits, that are some of the most egregious skits I've seen." "One such gem [parodied] a white police officer in a patrol car running over a black homeless woman."
About 20 police officers who were in the videos also face suspension during an internal affairs investigation, including a police captain.
Police Chief Heather Fong said the officers were shown in a series of skits that featured uniformed officers making fun of Asians, blacks, women and members of the gay and transgender communities. "The content ranges from immature and vulgar to sexist, racist and homophobic," the two said in a joint statement. Fong added, "This is a dark day in the history of the San Francisco Police Department."
At the news conference, Newsom said a special task force, the city's Human Rights Commission and the Commission on the Status of Women would investigate the officers, most of whom were stationed at the Bayview police station.
I moved to Florida in September 1989 and during that time of year, we take beautiful weather for granted; no matter where we live.
I remember waking up one day in early December feeling very strange. I was sitting on the patio, admiring the flowers growing so beautifully in my small garden and wondering what the hell was wrong with this picture when suddenly it hit me! This was the first week of December and the sun was shining! The grey days of Boston were far behind me, no longer a part of my life. That was the year my family and I spent New Years day at the beach. Life was beautiful!
Today reminiscent of Boston, we're having a grey day in Florida. It's been raining on and off most of the day, and the weather is cool and damp. I've done nothing all day.... it's just all too damned depressing!
Now, after years of living in warm weather, my blood has thinned. The weather was in the 60's today, going down to 50 tonite. That is cold. I've already bought a knit cap and gloves, plan on wearing them tomorrow.
As for Boston, I'll always miss Boston. My closest friend and his family still live there. The Red Sox still play there. I miss drinking cognac at the Ritz, I miss the Boston Commons, the T, the restaurants, the theater, the ballet, the symphony. I miss walks along Newbury Street, Harvard Square, Copley Place and Haymarket. But most of all, I miss JR.
What I do not miss is the bitter cold and the snow!
Alito Snubs Congressional Blacks
