Erasure of Scalia Speech Said Wrong

[Rose Siding]

JACKSON, Miss. -- The government has conceded that the U.S. Marshals Service violated federal law when a marshal ordered reporters with The Associated Press and the Hattiesburg American to erase their recordings of a speech by Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

The U.S. Department of Justice also said the reporters and their employers are each entitled to $1,000 in damages and reasonable attorneys' fees, which had been sought by the media organizations.
.....
"The United States government has acknowledged that it violated the rights of the reporters and their employers by requiring the erasure of their tape recordings of Justice Scalia's speech," Van Slyke said. "We feel this is certainly an appropriate concession.

"What remains before the court are constitutional issues, and the question of whether the United States will be enjoined from taking similar actions in the future," Van Slyke said.

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-scalia-recording,0,3960266.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

[lastliberalintexas]

1. If we could only erase his opinions

from the Court records...

[Maat]

2. Amen.

Uh-oh. Am I still going to get my barcard?

[indepat]

10. Amen! Scalia's damage to this Republic has been catastrophic

[Demos]

3. Scalia

I am new here although I have been lurking for ages. Does anyone know what Scalia's comments were? Why would he want them "off the record"?

[arwalden]

5. Hi Demos!! Welcome To DU!!!

-- Allen

[louis-t]

7. this was a while ago

nothing (that I recall) remarkable about his comments, he just didn't want reporters recording them. The reich wing doesn't like evidence laying around. Can't go back and change their stories as easily.

oh, forgot to tell you: Scalia had his stormtroopers seize the tapes.

[gottaB]

8. Something about protecting the Constitution--no kidding

see this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x471897

[newyawker99]

15. Hi Demos!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[gratuitous]

4. As usual, better to apologize than follow the law

So when anyone references whatever egregious comments Fat Tony made in his speech, he can plausibly deny saying it. "Okay, here's a grand to you and you for your inconvenience. Now, you never heard nothin', capisce?"

I believe the rights of every citizen were violated by the federal marshals and their peremptory action. Am I entitled to some hush money, too?

[klook]

6. Yep, it cost them what? $20k or so

to cover up the evidence. That's a pittance, and paid by the U.S. taxpayers anyway.

[MisterP]

11. like the Pinto! better pay off the dead than redesign the car so it

doesn't EXPLODE!

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[lebkuchen]

12. Minor, compared to the wrongs of the Bush administration

[struggle4progress]

13. kick for abuse under official color

:kick:

[MaineDem]

14. Another kick and a thought...

SOmeone once told me that it's easier to ask forgiveness than it is to ask permission. I don't think it's a good idea for the government to adopt that philosophy, however!

Everything having to do with Scalia makes my skin crawl.

[Lerkfish]

16. He reminds of Karla's Ex on cheers...dan Hedeya...

remember the slimeball tortelli ex husband?