Litigation

Alito: Role at Conservative Fundraiser ?Not Important?

By Peter Hardin

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito was among attendees toasting the keynote speaker at an annual fundraising event held by the conservative American Spectator magazine, according to a liberal blog account.

The Think Progress blog said the event featured such prominent Republicans as Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele. Justice Alito was approached as he entered the event. He was asked why it was appropriate for a justice to attend such a political fundraiser with the national GOP chairman, and he responded, according to the blog, “It’s not important that I’m here.”

Last month, the same blog wrote about two other justices, Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia, having attended seminars sponsored by Koch Industries, a manufacturing conglomerate that bankrolls conservative causes. You can learn more about the reports, and about questions of ethics that have been raised, from Gavel Grab.

Full post as published by The Gavel on November 11, 2010 (boomark / email).