US court nominee Alito: 'No one is above the law'

[UpInArms]

http://today.reuters.com/PrinterFriendlyPopup.aspx?type=bondsNews&storyID=uri:2006-01-10T163049Z_01_N10214700_RTRIDST_0_COURT-ALITO-UPDATE-1.XML

WASHINGTON, Jan 10 (Reuters) - U.S. Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito said on Tuesday that President George W. Bush does not have a blank check to wage war but offered no opinion on the legality of his anti-terror domestic spying program now awaiting U.S. congressional scrutiny.

<snip>

Specter, who plans to hold a hearing on the domestic spying program next month, asked Alito if he agreed with a statement by Justice O'Connor in a separate case that "a state of war is not a blank check for the president when it comes to the rights of the nation's citizens."

"Absolutely," Alito responded. "That's a very important principle. Our Constitution applies in times of peace and in times of war, and it protects the rights of Americans under all circumstances."

Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, sparred with Alito over the administration's policies on torturing prisoners and domestic spying.

"If the Congress passed a law prohibiting torture," Leahy asked, could the president "immunize people from prosecution if they violated our laws on torture?"

...more...

[Doctor_J]

1. Great! then we can expect impeachment to begin very soon.

[firefox]

2. The Extreme Court

Alito's mission on a new Extreme Court will be to enhance the power of the president so that there is no recognized law that will limit that power. The president with an Extreme Court in pocket could torture you on his say-so and sell videos of it.

[truthInCO]

3. "Open Mind"

Every single news agency is fawning over Alito's comment that he would "keep an open mind" about abortion issues. Every single alphabet news service. Where do they get their marching orders to try to paint this guy as a fair jurist?! AP. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=1490416

They're ramming him right down our throats people.

[depakid]

4. Yeah, right- bunch of crap to get through the hearings

This guy's dishonest and unethical.

I'll say it again- if the Dems let him through without a filibuster- on the Vanguard issue alone, they can kiss 2006 goodbye.

Not only will they have punted away a HUGE set of issues, but they'll have let down virtually ALL of their supporters- and the American people.

Cowardice like that doesn't win elections. Nor should it.

[maxrandb]

5. I've noticed a new "Buzz Phrase" from the right, and want DU'ers thoughts

I've heard this at least a dozen times in the past few days. When talking about Alito, and recently from Alito himself, I've heard the right wing talking heads using the phrase "No one is above the law, and no one is below the law".

It's the "below the law" part that made my eyebrows twitch.

I think it's their way of saying something like; "What Tom Delay did was not 'technically' illegal, so we shouldn't 'lower' the standards of law to prosecute him"

Never mind the stuff he did that was clearly illegal.

It's sad, but every time I hear these "jokers" talk I get the "willies".

Have you ever met someone, and you felt like you had to take a shower after shaking their hand? These people are beyond slimy.