Public attention Antonin Scalia

1 public attention

1.1 requests recusals
1.2 religious views
1.3 1996 presidential election

public attention
requests recusals

scalia (right) works on book bryan a. garner.

scalia recused himself elk grove unified school district v. newdow (2004), claim brought atheist michael newdow alleging recitation of pledge of allegiance (including words under god ) in school classrooms violated rights of daughter, said atheist. shortly after united states court of appeals ninth circuit ruled in newdow s favor before case came before supreme court, scalia spoke @ knights of columbus event in fredericksburg, virginia, stating ninth circuit decision example of how courts trying excise god public life. school district requested supreme court review case, , newdow asked scalia recuse himself because of prior statement, did without comment.

scalia declined recuse himself cheney v. united states district court district of columbia (2005), case concerning whether vice president dick cheney keep secret membership of advisory task force on energy policy. scalia asked recuse himself because had gone on hunting trip various persons including cheney, during traveled 1 way on air force two. scalia issued lengthy in-chambers opinion refusing recuse himself, stating though cheney longtime friend, being sued merely in official capacity , justices step aside in cases of officials parties because of official capacity, supreme court cease function. scalia indicated far unusual justices socialize other government officials, recalling late chief justice fred m. vinson played poker president harry truman , justice byron white went skiing attorney general robert f. kennedy. scalia stated never alone cheney during trip, 2 had not discussed case, , justice had saved no money because had bought round-trip tickets, cheapest available. scalia part of 7–2 majority once case heard, upheld cheney s position. scalia later described refusal recuse himself heroic opinion because had exposed him great deal of criticism.

religious views

scalia devout roman catholic, , son paul entered priesthood. uncomfortable changes brought following vatican ii, scalia drove long distances parishes felt more in accord beliefs, such tridentine latin mass in both chicago , washington , latin version of mass of paul vi @ st. catherine of siena in great falls, virginia. in 2013 interview jennifer senior new york magazine, scalia asked whether beliefs extended devil, , stated, of course! yeah, s real person. hey, c mon, s standard catholic doctrine! every catholic believes . when asked whether had seen recent evidence of devil, scalia replied: know, curious. in gospels, devil doing sorts of things. s making pigs run off cliffs, s possessing people , whatnot ... s doing getting people not believe in him or in god. s more successful way . in 2013 interview, scalia said, in order capitalism work, in order produce , stable society, traditional christian virtues essential .

in 2006, upon leaving church, scalia asked reporter whether being traditionalist catholic had caused problems him, , responded asking, know people? , gesture, cupping hand under chin , flicking fingers out. gesture, got captured photographer, reported boston herald obscene. scalia responded reports letter editor, accusing news staff of watching many episodes of sopranos , stating gesture strong brush-off. roger axtell, expert on body language, described gesture possibly meaning ve had enough, go away , noted, s strong gesture . gesture later parodied comedian stephen colbert during performance @ white house correspondents association dinner later year, justice in attendance: cameras showed unlike of butts of colbert s jokes evening, scalia laughing.

1996 presidential election

according john boehner, chairman of house republican conference, sought persuade scalia run election vice president bob dole in 1996. related boehner, scalia listened proposal , dictated same reply justice charles evans hughes had once given similar query: possibility remote comment upon, given position . dole did put scalia on list of potential running mates settled on jack kemp.