Scalia addresses tea party-organized event

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Townhall:

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia says members of Congress need to get themselves a copy of the Federalist Papers _ and make sure they read it.

Scalia made the short walk from the Supreme Court to the Capitol on Monday to speak at a seminar organized by GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann and the Tea Party Caucus. In remarks closed to the media, Scalia told about 50 members of Congress and their staff to "pay attention" and read up on their roles. Attendees described the associate justice as professorial and occasionally playful.

"He said we should all get a copy of the Federalist Papers and read it, underline it and dog-ear it," said Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., who attended the event.

Scalia's lecture had drawn criticism and taken on an air of mystery because of the prohibition on media coverage. Liberal groups in particular hammered Scalia for associating with the Republican-leaning Tea Party movement, saying it displayed a clear bias.

Members of both parties, though, described Monday's lecture as a fairly bland affair, one heavy on legal and Constitutional banter and virtually devoid of discussion on the hot button issues of the day.

"I didn't get the sense that this was skewed at all," said Schakowsky, an outspoken liberal. She deadpanned: "This was a discussion at a very high level. There were lots of Latin phrases being used."

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Scalia Tells Lawmakers to Use Their Powers

 

Members of Congress who attended a closed-door forum with Justice Antonin Scalia on Monday said they got some advice on how to keep the Supreme Court out of their hair.

Two of his suggestions: Be as specific as possible when writing legislation, and watch the boundaries set out by the Constitution.

 

Rep. Scott Garrett (R-N.J.) said Scalia emphasized that often, when the Supreme Court upends lawmakers’ work, “it’s because Congress is silent” regarding its intent. Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.) said he took away that Congress should be its own “first line of defense” in ensuring that the laws it passes are constitutional.

 

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At least three House Democrats attended and two of them said the event was worthwhile. “There was nothing partisan here,” said Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.). “It was Justice Scalia expressing his views.” Nadler said he didn’t know that the House’s Tea Party Caucus was hosting the event until reporters told him afterward.

 

Nadler said the session was wide-ranging, and that several lawmakers asked questions. In response, Nadler said, Scalia restated his longstanding willingness to overturn Roe v. Wade and reiterated his view that a line-item veto could be constitutional.

 

Nadler said that Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) asked about the Court’s ruling in Massachusetts v. EPA, which found that the Environmental Protection Agency has the statutory authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. In response to Barton, Scalia noted that Congress can amend the relevant statute if it wishes, Nadler said.

 

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), who attended and took notes, called the discussion “perfectly suited for a bipartisan audience.” She said Scalia advised lawmakers to get hard-copy versions of the Federalist Papers, but much of the discussion “was pretty dry.”

 

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