Friday, December 02, 2005 Alito's 1985 Memo Outlining how to Attack Roe WashPost: The release of the lengthy 1985 memo in which Alito, then a Justice Dept lawyer in the Reagan administration, outlined a strategy for attacking the 1973 Roe ruling w/o making a "frontal assault" that might prove unwinnable. "What can be made of this opportunity to advance the goals of bringing about the eventual overruling of Roe v. Wade and, in the meantime, of mitigating its effects?" he asked in the memo concerning a PA case before the Supreme Crt, Thornburgh v. American College of OB/GYNs. Alito did not cite the case in his responses to the Senate questionnaire which asked him to describe the most significant litigation matters he has handled. The omission angered Sen Schumer (D-NY), a member of the Judiciary Committee: "In light of your 17-pg memorandum and the accounts of your former colleagues, your 'participation in the litigation' was clearly substantial," Schumer said in a letter asking Alito to explain. Citing a previously disclosed memo in which Alito successfully sought a promotion in the Justice Dept, Schumer added: "In your 1985 job application, written only a few months later, you appeared to highlight your work on the Thornburgh case." Imagine all that... a Bush favorite having a credibility gap between what he did/does and what he says/reveals. |