Senator says Kagan critical of Supreme Court

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - Supreme Court Justice nominee Elena Kagan on Thursday criticized the court she is seeking to join during a private meeting with Democratic Senator Arlen Specter, the senator told reporters.

Specter said Kagan agreed with him that the court takes "too few cases" and erred this year in a landmark 5-4 ruling that struck down campaign finance limits. As U.S. solicitor general, Kagan represented the government in that case and unsuccessfully sought to keep those limits.

"She said she felt that the court was not sufficiently deferential to Congress," in the case, known as Citizens United, Specter said.

President Barack Obama, who nominated Kagan on Monday, denounced the ruling as having opened the gates to special interest money in U.S. politics and took the rare step of criticizing it in his State of the Union speech in January.

In addition, Specter said, Kagan reiterated her criticism that the Senate confirmation process yields little information about Supreme Court nominees and that one justice was less than forthcoming during his or her confirmation hearing.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE64C41820100513

...but how does Arlen think being a snitch helps his flagging re-election efforts? Maybe he forgot he was a Democrat now.

They guy needs to zip it...

to his speeches thes days.

The Supreme Court has sold it's soul with Bush v. Gore, and hasn't stopped since.

I'd really like to know if "less than forthcoming" is a polite way to say "perjured him/herself".

and no doubt Roberts has figured it out.

One of her supposed strengths was that she was a consensus builder, if she does get confirmed by the Senate, she will likely have made an enemy of the Chief Justice with her comments. It's not going to be pleasant for her until she does something to win him over, and I shudder to think what that might entail.

and thrown off the court?

:mad:

she's going to have a hard time saying that she doesn't have to answer theoretical questions when it's time for the Senate hearings on her nomination.

Yeah, I'm sure these 'conversations' happen with each nominee, but she was unlucky enough to have them with a babbling old man.