Unasked Question about Sam Alito

[Adir Pykhtin]

Glen Greenwald (Salon.com)
7-13-09

At his Senate confirmation hearing, Sam Alito used his opening statement to emphasize how his experience as an Italian-American influences his judicial decision-making:

But when I look at those cases, I have to say to myself, and I do say to myself, "You know, this could be your grandfather, this could be your grandmother. They were not citizens at one time, and they were people who came to this country" . . . .

When I get a case about discrimination, I have to think about people in my own family who suffered discrimination because of their ethnic background or because of religion or because of gender. And I do take that into account.

Did Alito's Italian-American ethnic background cause him to cast his vote in favor of the Italian-American plaintiffs? Has anyone raised that question? Given that he himself said that he "do take that into account" -- and given that Sonia Sotomayor spent 6 straight hours today being accused by GOP Senators and Fox News commentators of allowing her Puerto Rican heritage to lead her to discriminate against white litigants -- why isn't that question being asked about Alito's vote in Ricci?

More: http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/07/13/alito/index.html

[elleng]

1. Because . . . .

. . .

[TexasProgresive]

2. Grassley was asked that question

in an NPR interview this afternoon. He did what most politicians do when put on the spot- they don't answer and try to force the interview back to their dubious points.