Justice John Roberts taken to a hospital

[Seedersandleechers]

From NBC's Pete Williams

BREAKING NEWS: Chief Justice John Roberts has been taken to a hospital in Maine after falling at a summer vacation home.

The court says Roberts fell at a summer home in Port Clyde, Maine. An ambulance was called, and he was taken to a nearby hospital "as a precaution." The court says he was conscious during the trip to the hospital, and an emergency response team member tells NBC News Roberts was "alert."
He fell earlier this afternoon, sometime between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm ET, the court says.

Roberts is 52 and has has been chief justice for two terms, joining the court in late September 2005. He has no history of health problems.

****UPDATE**** Long before John Roberts was a federal judge, he apparently suffered a seizure while playing golf. It was in January 1993, while he was in private practice. News reports at the time say he was not allowed to drive for several months and took the bus to work. There's no indication that doctors ever figured out what happened. The White House called it an "isolated, idiosyncratic seizure."

[Tom Joad]

1. For his health, and for the health of constitutional democracy, he should immediately resign from

the court.

I would like to see democracy brought to the United States in my lifetime, and Roberts as chief inJustice is sure to prevent such an event.

[RaleighNCDUer]

23. And we, in turn, will wish him full recovery in retirement,

as we block ALL nominations to the court until after * is gone. There is no absolute necessity to have a nine-member court, and an 8 member court would ensure that no rulings are made without a real 5-3 majority. No more 5/4 squeakers - if 4 disagree, nothing happens.

[MADem]

2. I found that seizure business...well... interesting.

Did he slip on a half eaten apple pie, perhaps???

[yy4me]

3. Not only should Roberts resign, but our Dem leaders should

refuse to confirm any more **** nominees to the court. The only qualification **** feels is necessary is the ability to take the administrations view on all issues. Was it Senator Schemer who said there would be no support for any new appointees?

[Poiuyt]

26. Chuck Schumer said that the Senate should not approve any more Bush SC nominees

Sen. Schumer: Senate 'Hoodwinked' By Bush's Supreme Court Appointees

July 28, 2007 1:36 p.m. EST
Christopher Rizo - AHN Staff Writer

Washington, D.C. (AHN)-Sen. Charles Schumer of New York, a member of the Democratic leadership, says the Senate should not confirm another U.S. Supreme Court nominee under President Bush "except in extraordinary circumstances."

"We should reverse the presumption of confirmation," Schumer told the American Constitution Society convention on Friday. "The Supreme Court is dangerously out of balance. We cannot afford to see Justice Stevens replaced by another Roberts, or Justice Ginsburg by another Alito."

Schumer's remarks comes as Democrats are complaining that the Supreme Court under Bush's nominees - Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justice Samuel Alito - has moved quicker than expected to overturn legal precedents, Politico.com reported.

"There is no doubt that we were hoodwinked," said Schumer, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

more -

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7008037522

[DeepModem Mom]

4. He's now been at the hospital for 3 -4 hours. And no info beyond "conscious" and possibly "alert"?

I would think we'd have something more by now.

[pretzel4gore]

21. if it was a personal affair between 2 adults, in the oval office...

no matter Clinton being the 'most powerful' dude on earth, no matter the vast resources devoted to WH security etc, you KNEW all about filthy action that occurr...and that the 2 wanted kept secret! But when a rightwing political thug with a medical history, has an accident, due to too much wine and qualuudes etc, then WAIT! nothing ...'nuttin!...move along, nuttin to see heah'
wec should send the link to every pigmedia outlet on earth...hahaha

[kskiska]

5. Found this - more info from a Maine paper

(snip)

St. George Ambulance responded to a call at about 2 p.m. Monday of a man who had fallen 5 to 10 feet and landed on a dock, hitting the back of his head. The patient was ashen and was foaming at the mouth. The patient had reportedly suffered a grand mal seizure and was transported to Penobscot Bay Medical Center.

As of Monday afternoon, Penobscot Bay Medical Center would not confirm that Roberts was a patient.

more…
http://www.mainecoastnow.com/articles/2007/07/30/courier_-_gazette/breaking_news/doc46ae4b38ad879059499505.txt

[DeepModem Mom]

6. Whoa -- there you go, kskiska. Wow. nt

[MissB]

7. Hmmm...

[grasswire]

8. there ya go

Good work.

[IChing]

9. A grand Mal?

Is he epileptic?
I don't remember that coming up in the media or on-line
during his nomination procedure, when everyone
was tracing down the history of this guy.

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

11. So in essence, * may have appointed an epileptic as Chief Justice.

[Tom Joad]

22. That he is an epileptic is not the point. Bush appointed a *fascist* to

the supreme court. and many Dem Senators approved. so it goes.

[kskiska]

10. Sounds like it's not exactly a bump on the head

Could be interesting.

[DeepModem Mom]

12. Interesting, and, I'm thinking, the reason for the silence from official sources. nt

[kskiska]

14. Right. They know they'll never get another confirmation. n/t

[DeepModem Mom]

18. Yes. This could be nothing. But it could possibly be big, indeed. This is a major, major...

position in the U.S. government Roberts holds -- as we all know.

[IChing]

19. Picture of the dock/island although not large...This old house host sold it.

Roberts and his wife, Jane, paid $475,000 in June for a two-acre property and roughly 1,300-square-foot house on the island. The seller was Steve Thomas of “This Old House” TV fame.
The island is reachable by boat, and that has proved to be a bit of a problem for Roberts. In a brief interview on the subject of his new home, Roberts joked that he had trouble achieving the right ratio of gas to oil for his boat’s motor on a recent trip. The main reason for the miscalculation, he said with a laugh, was that when he asked around to be sure how many pints there are in a quart, most people told him four — instead of two, the correct answer.>>>>
http://www.abovethelaw.com/lawyerly_lairs/





It doesn't seem like a terribly difficult climb looking at the picture

[eShirl]

13. local Maine TV news says he "slipped on a public boat ramp"

direct quote just now from WCSH channel 6 NBC local news

[spotbird]

24. There you have it

Public ramp!!! Aren't those for socialistic, commie, liberal, unshaved, taxlovin, DEMOCRATS???!?!?

This seizure was caused by a massive cognitive dissonance overload. No doubt about it.

[CottonBear]

15. Hitting the back of the head is more dangerous than hitting the front.

I suppose we will not know anything more for quite a while.

[MissB]

16. Yes, it is.

[kestrel91316]

17. It's possible he had a slip-and-fall incident on the steps, and the

seizure happened as a result of the blow to his head. It's also possible that the seizure caused the fall.

If it's the former, well, these things happen.

If it's the latter, then he may have undiagnosed brain disease and sure as hell has no business heading or serving in any capacity on the USSC.

Just my HO.

[Stinky The Clown]

20. What did he do? Accidentally trip over the Constitution?

I don't mean to be mean. But the snark just writes itself.

[Tom Joad]

25. no, his copy is in his bathroom... and you know what he uses it for

[Ilsa]

27. It's understandable. I can barely hold my tongue as well,

and I'm not nearly as good as most DUers at making snark. I hope he gets better, but if he has uncontrolled epilepsy, then I wonder if his judgement is sound.

I don't believe a whiff of that boat dock story.