Alito doesn't recall, is not familiar with, didn't read, was unaware, didn't see, anything about CAP or their publication, Prospect:

From the Senate Judiciary Hearings on Judge Samuel Alito's Nomination to the Supreme Court (full transcript at the Washington Post): (edited, emp add)

KENNEDY: You called CAP a "conservative alumni group." It also published a publication called Prospect, which includes articles by CAP members about the policies that the organization promoted. You're familiar with that?

ALITO: I don't recall seeing the magazine.

KENNEDY: Did you know that they had a magazine?

ALITO: I've learned of that in recent weeks.

KENNEDY: So a 1983 Prospect essay titled "In Defense of Elitism," stated, quote, "People nowadays just don't seem to know their place. Everywhere one turns, blacks and Hispanics are demanding jobs simply because they're black and Hispanic. The physically handicapped are trying to gain equal representation in professional sports. And homosexuals are demanding the government vouchsafe them the right to bear children." Did you read that article?

ALITO: I feel confident that I didn't. I'm not familiar with the article ...

KENNEDY: The June '84 edition of Prospect magazine contains a short article on AIDS. ... And the article then goes on with this terrible statement: "Now that the scientists must find humans, or rather homosexuals, to submit themselves to experimental treatment. Perhaps Princeton's Gay Alliance may want to hold an election."   You didn't read that article?

ALITO: I feel confident that I didn't, Senator ...

KENNEDY: In 1973, a year after you graduated, and during your first year at Yale Law School, former Senator Bill Bradley very publicly disassociated himself with CAP because of its right-wing views and unsupported allegations about the university. His letter of resignation was published in The Prospect; garnered much attention on campus and among the alumni. Were you aware of that at the time that you listed the organization in your application?

ALITO: I don't think I was aware of that until recent weeks when I was informed of it.

KENNEDY: And in 1974, an alumni panel including now-Senator Frist unanimously concluded that CAP had presented a distorted, narrow, hostile view of the university. ... Were you aware of that at the time of the job application?

ALITO: I was not aware of that until very recently.

KENNEDY: In 1980, the New York Times article about the coeducation of Princeton, CAP is described as an organization against the admittance of women. In 1980, you were working as an assistant U.S. attorney in Trenton, New Jersey. ... Did you read the New York Times? Did you see this article?

ALITO: I don't believe that I saw the article.

KENNEDY: And did you read a letter from CAP mailed in 1984 -- this is the year before you put CAP on your application -- to every living alumni -- to every living alumni, so I assume you received it -- which declared: "Princeton is no longer the university you knew it to be." As evidence, among other reasons, it cited the fact that admission rates for African-Americans and Hispanics were on the rise, while those of alumni children were failing and Princeton's president at a time urged that the then all-male eating clubs to admit females. And in December 1984, President William Bowen responded by sending his own letter. This is the president of Princeton responded by sending his own letter to all of the alumni in which he called CAP's letter "callous and outrageous." This letter was the subject of a January 1985 Wall Street Journal editorial congratulating President Bowen for engaging his critics in a free and open debate. Did you receive the Bowen letter or did you read the Wall Street Journal, which was pretty familiar reading for certainly a lot of people that were in the Reagan administration?

ALITO: Senator, I've testified to everything that I can recall relating to this, and I do not recall knowing any of these things about the organization.

Doesn't know any of that for an organization he was a member of from about* 1973 to 1985, when he cited his CAP membership in an application for a job at the Justice Department.

*- there doesn't seem to be any record of when Alito joined CAP. Ted Kennedy's WaPo OpEd states that "Alito joined CAP about that time", the time when Sen. Bradley was expressing concerns, 1973.

Powerline comments in the wake of the hearing:

• "Few care whether Alito joined such a group more than 30 years ago or listed it on a resume 20 years ago."
• "... he had no ... need to disassociate himself from a .. group that ... was not happy with co-education ...     Again, no big deal. The desirability of co-education [was a] fair [object] for debate."

Powerline doesn't care about truths from 30 years ago, but they sure were enthusiastic regarding lies about Kerry from 30 years ago (see Swift Boat posts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16)


posted by Quiddity at 1/11/2006 08:34:00 PM