Lies Like A Rug
Jul 25th, 2005 at 9:17 am by Susie
I’m coming in on the tail end, as it were, but I remember wondering about this yesterday. Some of the Freepers were salivating over “the libs getting it wrong again” and looky here, by gosh by golly. We didn’t:
Supreme Court nominee John G. Roberts Jr. has repeatedly said that he has no memory of belonging to the Federalist Society, but his name appears in the influential, conservative legal organization’s 1997-1998 leadership directory.
Having served only two years on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit after a long career as a government and private-sector lawyer, Roberts has not amassed much of a public paper record that would show his judicial philosophy. Working with the Federalist Society would provide some clue of his sympathies. The organization keeps its membership rolls secret, but many key policymakers in the Bush administration are acknowledged current or former members.
Roberts has burnished his legal image carefully. When news organizations have reported his membership in the society, he or others speaking on his behalf have sought corrections. Last week, the White House told news organizations that had reported his membership in the group that he had no memory of belonging. The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, USA Today and the Associated Press printed corrections.
Over the weekend, The Post obtained a copy of the Federalist Society Lawyers’ Division Leadership Directory, 1997-1998. It lists Roberts, then a partner at the law firm Hogan & Hartson, as a member of the steering committee of the organization’s Washington chapter and includes his firm’s address and telephone number.
Well! So that says something about his character, don’t you think?
It certainly does cay something about his character. I hope the Dems and the press follow this up vigorously.
And NPR’s — they reported over the weekend without any equivocation that Roberts was NOT a member of the FS. How did they know? The White House TOLD them so.
No hint that any question could exist about this, perhaps because the FS has such an interesting policy about disclosing one’s membership.
Now, I’m just this Dog out here in the ether. I’m not particularly expert on anything. I’m certainly not a Professional Journalist (I have SOME standards) …
So how did I know about that, and NPR’s reporter NOT know?
I must be some kind of a dead genius.
Regards,
– Dog, etc.
Obviously not “faithful interpretation” of word member. Robert’s solid image will melt with some heat.