Monday, October 26, 2015

Supreme Court Confirmation Hearings In 2035

When you're going to legal blogs for your daily yucks something is wrong with the universe.
From The Volokh Conspiracy at the WaPo:

From the transcript:
MONDAY, JUNE 28, 2035
U.S. SENATE, COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY, Washington, DC.
The Committee met, Pursuant to notice, at 12:32 p.m., in room SH–216, Hart Senate Office Building, Hon. Patrick J. Leahy, Chairman of the Committee, presiding.
WITNESS: JUDGE PAT HILMAN, NOMINATED TO BE ASSOCIATE JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
Senator JONES: Judge Hilman, I want to return to your Twitter feed. As you know, the records of your Twitter account show that on August 3, 2016, at 1:30am, you “favorited” a tweet from the controversial activist Nathan Kepner that said, “I’ve had enough.” Just a week later, Nathan Kepner helped lead a march in Washington, DC, in which he threw a trash can in the direction of a police officer. I’d like to play the video of Kepner throwing the trash can now. [Plays video.] Can you explain what you agreed with in Kepner’s message that you felt comfortable making it your favorite?
Judge HILMAN: Senator Jones, thank you for the question. Just by way of context, I favorited 7,482 tweets in the period I was on Twitter. But more to your point, twenty years later, I have no specific recollection of why I favorited that tweet. I didn’t even follow Kepner.
Senator JONES: So you’re telling me that you made this your favorite, and yet now you have no idea why it was your favorite? Frankly, I find that a little hard to believe. But you mentioned who you “followed” on Twitter, and that brings me to my next question. Records of your Twitter account show that during your time on Twitter, you “followed” Al-Jazeera, the controversial news site that some have accused of being anti-semitic. Can you explain why you are a follower of Al-Jazeera?
Judge HILMAN: Senator Jones, I have no specific recollection of following Al-Jazeera. However, it’s important to realize that in those days, following someone on Twitter just meant that you wanted to see tweets from that account.  It didn’t mean that  you agreed with those tweets.
Senator JONES: But you don’t deny that you followed Al-Jazeera, right?
Judge HILMAN: No, Senator, I don’t.
Senator JONES: I see. Perhaps your recollection would be better when it comes to your Facebook account. In the year 2021, you were friends with the constitutional litigator Joanne Felpot, correct?
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