African-American woman on Obama's SC short-list . . . 'friend' of Clarance Thomas

[bigtree]

As speculation swirls about candidates on the president's list, administration officials have confirmed that at least one of the president's top picks is a former State Supreme Court justice who would be the first African-American woman to sit on the country's high court.

Former Georgia Supreme Court Justice Leah Ward Sears, an expert in family law and the first African-American woman to serve as a State Supreme Court chief justice, was on Obama's short list last year. A member of the left-leaning American Constitution Society, she is also a friend of conservative Justice Clarence Thomas.

read: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Supreme_Court/president-obama-review-nominees-supreme-court/story?id=10347285


Sears, who will turn 55 in June, was the first female African-American chief justice in US history, and when nominated for the state supreme court by then-Gov. Zell Miller in 1992, she became the first woman and the youngest person to ever sit on the court.‬‪

She stepped down from the court last year and currently practices law at Schiff Hardin.

A graduate of Emory University Law School, Sears was on President Obama’s short list last year.

In the US history Leah Ward Sears was the first female African-American chief justice.

read: http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2010/04/another-name-on-president-obamas-supreme-court-short-list.html


Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears has achieved a distinguished position in Georgia's history. She was the first African-American woman to serve as Superior Court Judge in Georgia. When appointed by the Governor of Georgia in February, 1992, she was the first woman and the youngest person ever to serve on Georgia's Supreme Court. Also, in retaining her appointed position as a Supreme Court Justice, Justice Sears became the first woman to win a contested state-wide election in Georgia.

Justice Sears is a 1976 graduate of Cornell University (B.S. Degree); a 1980 graduate of Emory University School of Law (J.D. Degree); and a 1995 graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law (LL.M Degree). She also has engaged in extensive studies at the National Judicial College. Prior to becoming a judge, she was an attorney with the law firm of Alston & Bird. In 1993, Justice Sears received the honorary Doctor of Law degree from Morehouse College.

Justice Sears' professional and civil affiliations are varied and numerous. The Justice is past Chair of the American Bar Association's Board of Elections. She is also the immediate past Chair of the Judicial Section of the Atlanta Bar Association, and she also served as Chair of the Atlanta Bar's Minority Clerkship Program. Justice Sears founded and served as the first president of the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys. Chief Justice Sears serves on the Board of Directors of the Morehouse School of Medicine Center for Child Abuse & Neglect, the Board of Visitors of Mercer Law School, the Sadie G. Mays Nursing Home, the Georgia Chapter of the National Council of Christians and Jews, and she is a board member for Mission New Hope, a metropolitan Atlanta area substance abuse coalition. Justice Sears serves on the Cornell University Women's Council, the steering Committee for Georgia Women's History Month, and the Children's Defense Fund's Black Community Crusade for Children. In addition, Chief Justice Sears founded the Battered Women's Project in Columbus, Georgia.

Justice Sears is also a member of the Atlanta Chapter of Links, Inc., and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. The Justice is a member of the American, Georgia, Gate City, Atlanta, and National Bar Associations.

Emory University has honored Justice Sears as an "Outstanding Young Alumna" and as the Barkley Forum "Georgia Speaker of the Year". Georgia Trend magazine has honored Justice Sears as one of the "100 Most Influential Georgians," and in 1993 Business Atlanta magazine named her as one of the "Under Forty and on the Fast Track." In 1992, she received the "Margaret Brent Woman Lawyer of Achievement" award from the American Bar Association, the "Drum Major for Justice" award presented by SCLC Women during Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Week, and she was honored as an "Atlantan on the Move" by 100 Black Men of Atlanta. Also in 1992, Justice Sears received the "Excellence in Public Service" award from the Georgia Coalition of Black Women, and she was named by the YWCA of Greater Atlanta as one of its ten "Outstanding Women of Achievement." In addition, the Justice has written several articles regarding the legal profession which have been published.

Justice Sears is the daughter of Colonel and Mrs. Thomas E. Sears of Savannah, Georgia. Justice Sears has two children, a son, Addison Sears-Collins, and a daughter, Brennan Sears-Collins. Justice Sears is married to Haskell Sears Ward of Griffin, Georgia.

http://www.acslaw.org/node/8489

[hlthe2b]

1. Define "friend"

:eyes:

[bigtree]

14. the WaPO defines it as a personal friendship rooted in geography and circumstance (great article)

from the Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/09/AR2009050902519_pf.html


Sears's relationship with Thomas is anchored in their home towns in southeastern Georgia and the rough roads they both took to the top levels of the American judiciary. Sears, 53, has been called a liberal, activist judge by conservatives who ran hard against her. Thomas, 60, has been accused by African Americans of betraying them with his conservative views. They have both spent their careers beating back critics.


Sears grew up in Savannah. Thomas was reared 11 miles away in Pin Point. Her family was middle class; his, poor. But in those days, families knew families, Douglass said. Thomas and Sears had mutual friends but did not befriend each other until he made the call. Theirs is one of the few lasting bonds Thomas has in the black legal community because his conservative opinions on issues such as voting rights, affirmative action and the power of the federal government to correct injustices have left him alienated by many.


Sears, who was the first black woman to serve as chief justice of any state supreme court, has been more popular with them. She calls herself a "moderate with a progressive streak," and during her 17 years on the Georgia Supreme Court, she has sided with opinions that overturned the state's anti-sodomy law, which targeted gays, and criticized use of the electric chair as cruel and unusual punishment, rulings popular with the civil rights community.


"We shout and scream and yell and get very little accomplished, but you can disagree very much with the next guy and still be friends and acquaintances," she said in a National Public Radio interview soon after her swearing-in. The ceremony became an important marker in Thomas's tenuous relationship with the black community . . .


read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/09/AR2009050902519_pf.html

[hlthe2b]

41. Sounds like the word should be "collegial"

or close acquaintances... I'm not necessarily seeing the basis for a "friendship," which implies some expectation of "loyalty" and willingness to "assist."

[joeybee12]

19. Yeah, I've heard Ginsburg and Scalia are friends...

...or were...Tony has gone off the deep end so maybe even Ruth won't put up with him anymore.

[monmouth]

2. I'm shocked! Shocked I tell ya, that Thomas actually has a friend...n/t

[WeDidIt]

3. If she's well acquainted wiht him, she might be able to sway him a time or two.

It's not unheard of.

[bigtree]

7. I have a few conservative friends

I can't say that any of them are as objectionable as Thomas.

I'm sure it's nothing much at all . . .

[MilesColtrane]

39. Yes.

That would be great if she could turn him.

He does appear to be the "follower" type.

Almost like getting a twofer.

[peekaloo]

4. Could be a good thing.

He can cheat off her papers. }(

[Arkana]

5. Is anyone going to bother examining her judicial opinions

or are we going to write her off because she's friends with Clarence Thomas?

[bigtree]

6. be my guest

I do think it's interesting how that association plays against our (correct) Democratic opposition to everything 'Thomas'.

[Arkana]

8. While I won't deny that Thomas is an amoral scumbag,

guilt by association is a shitty thing to do to anyone.

Ted Kennedy was good friends with Orrin Hatch--did anyone write Kennedy off just because of that?

[bigtree]

9. I haven't read anything yet where anyone pronounces her guilty of anything

. . . because of the association.

I recall Ted Kennedy counted several conservatives among his 'friends', so I don't think too much can be made out of the association. But I would like to hear her take on it though . . . I really despise the man.

[BurtWorm]

18. This thread is net unrecommended

I think just on the basis of "friend of Clarence Thomas" alone. Maybe if you'd put "moderate with a progressive streak" or "sided with majority in overturning anti-sodomy" law in the headline, you'd have 10 recommends by now.

Knee-jerkers are jerks.

[bigtree]

22. I'm not much into posting for recs

. . . probably because I usually get so few :)

But I'm in good company in questioning the association, for whatever that effort's worth. I do think her career and her conduct answers most questions about her 'friendship' to my own satisfaction, but I am also weary of the legitimizing of these conservative cretins; friendships or otherwise.

[BurtWorm]

23. It sounds like 'friendship' is a relative term.

One of the articles you've posted described their professional relationship as combative. That would be a plus on this constipated fucking court.

[bigtree]

26. I'm familiar with relationships like that

. . . in my own life experience. I agree that the dynamic you describe would be productive. I actually don't hear much, though, from Thomas in his decision-making.

[FBaggins]

12. "Friends with Thomas" is certainly a potential concern.

"Appointed by Zell Miller" is another.

I don't know what to think about appointing someone who has already stepped down from a supreme court position. We can't afford to have her do that during a Republican administration (and hand Stevens' seat over to an even better friend of Thomas).

(On edit - She reportedly stepped down last year... which means that she didn't mind Sonny perdue replacing her on the bench. I think that's strike three unless there's more compelling information about her.)

I think that the intention of the OP is to garner information that goes beyond these first-blush assessments.

[cali]

15. no it's not. Ruth Bader Ginsberg is very close with Scalia.

Kennedy was very close with Hatch.

We should be concerned with her judicial record, not her personal relationships or who appointed her.

[FBaggins]

17. Did you read the rest of the post?

By itself it isn't a concern. With other pieces of the puzzle, it may add up to one.

You posted before my final edit. Note that she was willing to step down from the state Supreme Court to return to the private sector... and she did this while a Republican was Gov.

Wouldn't you be concerned that she might do this again?

[BurtWorm]

21. She calls herself a 'moderate with a progressive streak.'

Let's overlook the progressive streak bit and focus all our energy on the moderate part.

:bounce:

"She's a witch! Burn her! Burn!"

[bigtree]

25. to be fair

I wouldn't overlook that 'moderate' streak in questioning her on her views. So many issues have been compromised down to the point where they are threatened by the 'moderate' reasoning which allows so many conservative initiatives to prevail in our own legislative efforts; and in judicial decisions as well.

That said, I don't think this woman is anywhere near to any extreme which should give any Democratic legislator pause to advance her if nominated. Rather, she looks a bit like our President in that moderate stance.

[BurtWorm]

28. I worry when a candidate is hyped as acceptable to Republicans and Democrats.

The candidate should make conservatives at least a little nervous (actually a lot nervous would be best, but she wouldn't get in if their degree of anxiety rises too high, unfortunately). Some other name being kicked around has that quality connected to it, and she should be kicked to the curb right now.

One thing makes me nauseated about the Republicans more than anything, though, and that is their willingness to play the race card in the first hand, not caring if it angers or alienates African-Americans, whom they've written off anyway, as long as it confuses the Dems and media and gets the red-meat eaters all hot and horny. I can just imagine that if they think an African American nominee is having too easy a ride, they'll pour some gasoline on the situation and dare each other to light a match.

[bigtree]

30. a point blm has driven into my brain

. . . is that we can't accurately judge these folks based on what republicans say in opposition. For instance, if the call someone 'liberal' it's likely they're not as liberal as we might like or expect.

I do think this candidate could get the demagoguery treatment from the start, given the attitude of the present republican bunch. There would be that 'Thomas' association as a hurdle for them; just might insulate her, as you suggested.

[FBaggins]

31. Hey... I'm pretty "moderate" on some issues myself.

But the moderate position is well represented on the USSC. There is a benefit to having a real solid progressive on the court. Even if only to write to 8-1 or 7-2 dissents that may form the foundation for future jurisprudence.

We should keep in mind who is being replaced here. If Kennedy were to step down I might be entirely in favor of a "center-left" selection.

If she's anything close to moderate, however, this would shift the court significantly toward the right.

[onenote]

32. she stepped down because she didn't want to go through a re-election campaign

your fear that she would leave the SCOTUS early because she left the GA Supreme Court is misplaced. GA Supreme Court justices serve six year terms and have to stand for re-election.

As for Sonny Perdue replacing her...who would replace her if she was still on the GA Supreme COurt and was named to the Supreme COurt this year? Sonny Perdue.

[FBaggins]

35. Thank you!

I had forgotten that GA has court elections. That explains quite a bit.

Was there a reason not to run for re-election? That could be instructive if there were some progressive ruling (or dissent) that made her less appealing in GA... it might make her MORE appealing here.

[FrenchieCat]

36. Here's some info on Justice Sears

and elections.....
http://demopedia.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8400007&mesg_id=8400188

[onenote]

38. I know that the Christian right mounted a campaign against her in 2004

She still won reelection handily. Not sure what her reasons for not wanting to go through another campaign were.

[Tesha]

29. I'd worry more about the fact that Zell Miller nominated her! (NT)

[onenote]

33. miller appointed her in 1992, the same year Miller endorsed Bill Clinton

and ten years before he campaigned for Max Cleland to be reelected to the Senate.
Should we have thrown Bill and Max under the bus because they were supported by Miller back in the day?

[Tesha]

40. Bill? Absolutely YES!

Max? I dunno; I'd have to think more about that.

Tesha

[Enrique]

10. my guess was wrong

I was thinking Anita Hill.

[bigtree]

that would be wild

. . . and hilarious to see the reaction from the right.

[CanonRay]

11. Maybe she could open his eyes a little

Just trying to be positive. My pollyana streak surfaced! :shrug:

[BurtWorm]

13. Not a bad choice.

Nice way to dare the Repubs to stand in the way.

[joe black]

16. I was listening to Mark Thompson.

He is a liberal talk show host on Sirius radio and he said there is no African Americans on the Court. He really loathes Thomas.

[tammywammy]

20. News Flash

Liberals CAN be friends with Conservatives. Shocking I know.

[LynneSin]

24. She happens to be from the same region as Thomas, I see nothing suspect over it

If her record is progressive then she's good for me. However, I still like the concept of picking someone associated with Harvard to help bring Scott Brown into the vote. However another woman would make it difficult for Snowe or Collins to vote against her.

[Stevenmarc]

27. I hope when they say "friend" it doesn't involve hair or a soda can

[FrenchieCat]

34. I had written about her last May, when the first SCOTUS opening was being discussed.....

I think she would be a good one to have on the court, personally.

http://demopedia.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8400007&mesg_id=8400188

[bigtree]

37. that's a good, helpful post

'a great stealth nomination for the court'

Interesting.