Alito's recusal refusal
Articles are starting to surface detailing Sammy Alito's recusal issues. Namely, that he doesn't seem to recuse himself when he promised he would.
TChris writes: "[his sister] Rosemary Alito left the Carpenter firm in 1994, when she joined McCarter & English. That firm represented a bank seeking a rehearing before the Third Circuit. Court records indicate that Judge Alito didn’t recuse himself, but voted to deny the rehearing. Judge Alito says he doesn’t remember the case."
It wasn't just personal ties he ruled on, it was financial as well:
"...Judge Alito failed to disqualify himself from a case involving Vanguard, a mutual fund company that managed Alito’s investments. The case involved a woman’s claim that Vanguard refused to give her funds that belonged to her deceased husband. Judge Alito removed himself from the case only after the woman complained, causing the appeal to be reheard."
As John Aravosis notes, he promised he would recuse himself in such cases, so the conflict of interest itself isn't even the number one issue.
In addition, claiming that he can't recall certain cases involving parties to which he had some personal or financial tie, is more than a little unsatisfying... Let's face it, who cares?
Did he do it. Is it provable. Done. Confirm him or not from that standpoint. Nobody asks a man arrested with a gram of coke whether he remembers buying it, so why ask this justice if he remembers his ethical lapse? Perhaps they should steal a page from the OJ trial: If he didn't recuse, refuse... (TalkLeft)
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