They tried to make the case that having some of the most distinguished jurists in the nation testify on his behalf demonstrated how unqualified Judge Alito was.
What a bunch of turds.
More Scotusblog
3:18: Judge Becker is beginning his statement. It details the "intense" relationship among appellate judges. His statement will speak to Judge Alito's tempermant, intellect, integrity, and approach to the law.
With regard to temperment Becker believes the most critical part of the appellate process is the judges' conference. Becker has never seen Alito raise his voice in thousands of conferences. With regard to integrity, Becker is discussing the Vanguard recusal and believes that Judge Alito was not required under the law to recuse himself. With regard to intellect, Becker says his intellect is of a very high order. He is not doctrinaire and will change his mind in light of the views of his colleagues. He does not dissent often. Becker believes Alito has the intellect to sit on the Supreme Court. He is not abstract, he is practical.
With regard to approach to the law, Becker is testifying to fact and not to opinion. Alito decides each case on the facts and not personal views and scrupulous adheres to precedent and is not biased towards any particular class of litigants.
Becker is acknowledging the controversy in Alito's old memos and says that the memos do not reflect his role as a judge. Taking the Judicial oath makes you a different person. Judges do not decide general principles. Alito decides cases as narrowly as possible.
Judge Becker compared Alito's approach to the law to his own. He thinks he is viewed as a mainstream judge. Of the cases in which they sat together -- over a thousand -- Becker and Alito disagreed 27 times.
Up is down and down is up. Just when it seems to me that the libs can't be any more outlandish, they exceed my expectations.