MyDD :: Is Alito Lying About Concerned Alumni for Princeton?

Is Alito Lying About Concerned Alumni for Princeton?

by Chris Bowers, Tue Jan 10, 2006 at 02:37:50 PM EST

Well, yes, he is lying, but I wanted to ask other people the same question. So, during the lunch break, I went down to the press area with Tim Tagaris, armed with only a single question:

"Do you believe Judge Alito is telling the truth about his association with Concerned Alumni for Princeton?"

I managed to ask the question to the Presidents of three major advocacy organizations, and also to Senator Durbin. Here were the responses:

Ralph Neas of People for the American Way said that Alito's response to this line of questioning was "not credible." Mr. Neas added that he personally remembered the 1980's pretty well, including what organizations he was involved with at the time.
Nan Aron of the Alliance for Justice said that it is "hard to know what to believe" and she asked "how do you forget" being a member of an organization for eight or nine years. I had a simple response to this question that generated laughs among the people around me: "because he's lying."
Debra Ness of the National Partnership for Women and Families said "no." She told me that Alito not remembering his association with such an organization "stretches the imagination."
Tim actually managed to get video of Senator Durbin's good response to my question. Check out Kicking Ass for the video. Here is the transcript:
I couldnt understand his answer. That they removed ROTC was the reason he belonged to this organization? I mean, it totally did not follow. I mean the only the thing you can argue is that somehow or another women and minorities were opposed to to ROTC. I mean, I can't, I don't understand it, and I'm going to ask him if I get chance. It just made no sense to me.

Alito is lying about his involvement with Concerned Alumni for Princeton, and the reason he is lying is because membership with such an organization demonstrates an embarrassing level of opposition to civil rights in this country that should disqualify someone from being a Supreme Court Justice. That he is unwilling to be truthful during his confirmation hearings further demonstrates just how unqualified he is.

Tags: Judges (all tags)

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Bowers Makes an Interesting Point (none / 0)

The Student Group he was a part of listed him as a member, it would behoove us all if we could somehow track down the Princeton Newspaper article that lists the details of his membership and post it here.

He has alluded to the membership in his opening statements, stating to effect, that he saw others there at the university when he was there, partying heartily and he, on the other hand , was coming from small beginnings... and saw how he and others were more or less concerned about what they saw.

Then he states that he wasn't concerned. Interesting. Why would someone be afraid to delve into the details of their own past?

Q: How can you tell a texan is lying?
A: If his lips are movin', he's lyin!

by turnerbroadcasting on Tue Jan 10, 2006 at 02:56:17 PM EST

Here's a starting point (none / 0)

He clearly remembers that he believed that the students at Princeton were acting "irresponsibly" in the 1960s and in opposing the war and indicated that he joined CAP because as a member of ROTC he was joining in CAP's protest of the removal of ROTC from campus.

However, the ROTC had already been brought back to Princeton in 1972 the year in which CAP was formed and the year in which Alito graduated.

CAP "stated explicitly that they were not in favor of coeducation and that they weren't in favor of affirmative action. Implicitly, they were opposed to any form of diversity on campus."

by progressivearlingtonian on Tue Jan 10, 2006 at 05:48:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]

If we were Republicans (3.00 / 1)

this would be a drumbeat. We'd use this, the Vanguard case, the conflicting 1985 job application info with his present testimony and scare him away. "Alito can't tell the truth. He's like DeLay, Enron, and the other fat cats ---- he'll say anything to get what he wants"

The question is...why don't we?

by kmwray on Tue Jan 10, 2006 at 03:54:28 PM EST

Beat The Fucking Drums! (none / 0)

This is precisely what we should do.

Alito is most certainly lying (he remembered it 13 years later, but can't remember it today?) and this blows the center out of the GOP campaign to paint him as an honorable man. The Abramoff Scandal makes them particularly unconvincing in counter-attack mode on this one.

Remember--his fall-back explanation on this one is that (he wasn't really a member of CAP) he was just lying to get a job. Which is precisely what he's doing right now.

In fact, we might want to have one Democratic Senator come out and declare that he believes Alito--that he wasn't a member of CAP, and he was just lying on his resume. He should vigorously debate other Democrats over this.

The other Democrats can then "defend Alito's honor" by arguing that he is a racist, not a liar.

I mean, we've got Tony Kushner and David Mamet on our side. Surely the two of them could come up with a dynamite script for this "debate."

A cross between Angels In America and Glen Gary, Glen Ross. I like it!

by Paul Rosenberg on Tue Jan 10, 2006 at 06:24:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: If we were Republicans (none / 0)

Who (besides us) can hear the sound of beating drums when the Corporate Press puts them in a soundproof room?

Cable news coverage of Alito nomination skewed right

http://mediamatters.org/items/200511010006

MSNBC's Alito hearing coverage skewed right well into the night; NBC's Today picked up trend the next morning

http://mediamatters.org/items/200601100005

by jen on Wed Jan 11, 2006 at 07:08:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Princeton (none / 0)

Alito believes that all male activities are weakened by the admission of women to Princeton: their are fewer guys for the football team, eating clubs, or ROTC. Some of these activities, with marginal followings, are shut down (sounds like the law of supply and demand to me). Other activities may thrive (think theater, arts,language studies).

The college I attended eventually shut down its degree program in metalurgical engineering a few years after coeducation. This proved to be a sound move as the country itself was slowing closing steel plants. Alito simply does not like change or any disturbance. Near its end, the Roman Empire responded to population decline and problems in filling certain jobs by requiring sons to take the jobs of their fathers. Many sons faced with unpleasant and /or unrewarding jobs simply moved across the border to the lands of the "barbarians." The net effect rof this rule refusing change was to weaken the Romans and strengthen its enemies. I guess Alito did not take Roman history at Princeton or it was not taught very well (snark, snark).

by David Kowalski on Tue Jan 10, 2006 at 05:05:22 PM EST

pretty sad (none / 0)

You have no substantive argument so you attack the mans character.

This is exactly why the Democratic Party is in decline.

by The Ugly American on Tue Jan 10, 2006 at 09:47:30 PM EST

Re: pretty sad (none / 0)

So... You are saying the poor man is being "Swift-Boated"?

by EnnuiBastard on Wed Jan 11, 2006 at 03:42:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Pretty Pathetic (none / 0)

The man's character is an issue and SHOULD be attacked. This is exactly why twits like yourself continue to lurk amongst those who have it rather than your own kind.

by Allen Roe on Tue Jan 10, 2006 at 11:51:06 PM EST

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