Harvard Law School Dean Confirmed as First Female Solicitor General [Elena Kagan]

Legal Times ^ | March 20, 2009 | David Ingram

[KingofZion]

The Senate has confirmed Elena Kagan as the 45th solicitor general of the United States -- and as the first woman ever to hold the position.

Kagan, 48, will be the government's chief advocate before the Supreme Court, though she has never argued a case there or before any other appellate court. She has been dean of Harvard Law School since 2003 and is widely seen as a possible future nominee for the Supreme Court.

Senators voted 61-31 to confirm her after three hours of debate that focused on whether she has the right kinds of experiences to be solicitor general. ***

Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., questioned Kagan's lack of any appellate advocacy, arguing that the hole in her resume makes her unqualified. "So far as I can observe, other than time in the White House Counsel's Office, Dean Kagan has practiced law for only two years in a real-world environment," he said.

Prior to her elevation to dean, Kagan served as a law professor at Harvard and at the University of Chicago. She worked in the Clinton White House for four years as a counsel and domestic policy adviser. A graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School, she clerked for Justice Thurgood Marshall and Judge Abner Mikva of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. She was an associate at Williams & Connolly for two years.

***

Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he was voting against Kagan because of her unwillingness to detail her views on controversial constitutional questions. "I'm not prepared to relinquish the prerogatives of the Senate to ask those kinds of questions," Specter said.

[KingofZion]

I worked with this woman (don't ask) - she is far to the left of Obama - very scary that she is being considered for the next SCOTUS spot. Even Spector got this one right. Clinton wanted to nominate her to the Court of Appeals but was told "no dice"

I hope the GOP research teams are gearing up for this fight.

[rmlew]

Who were the Republicans voting for this leftist activist?

[montomike]

Does anyone get the impression that the country is now being run by college professors?

[vikingd00d]

This is the woman who described Justice Ginsberg as a ‘moderate’, correct?

[ChocChipCookie]

I just called my Senator, Jon Kyl, and gave “Joey” a piece of my mind. This is the second questionable appointment the estimable Jon Kyl has voted to confirm. A few days ago he voted to confirm David Ogden as Deputy AG. Un-freakin-believable. And then he comes to Arizona, meets with conservative pro-life groups and whines that we need to give the Republicans more money in order to elect more people like him!!

[RexBeach]

Has she ever appeared in court? I had heard that she had not done so.

[ChocChipCookie]

Jon Kyl, for one.

[Glenn]

Guilty.

[WayneS]

Republicrats who voted FOR confirmation:

Coburn (R-OK)
Collins (R-ME)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hatch (R-UT)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Lugar (R-IN)
Snowe (R-ME)

[dmz]

Does anyone get the impression that the country is now being run by college professors?
_____

Sure to be slammed for saying so, but could it be any worse than a country run by professional politicians?

[achilles2000]

The government needs an “Ivy-ectomy”, even though I are one;-)

[WayneS]

It already is.

[bonnieblue4me]

I wash my car; maybe I’ll be appointed to head up GM now! Experience means nothing anymore.

[17th Miss Regt]

I want to see her defending Obama’s continued retention of the terrorists in Gitmo. That will be sweet!

[PGR88]

I propose my own Bill of Attainder

No one who has attended Harvard or Yale, including members of these institution’s faculty or administration, may serve in any branch of the United States Government or Judiciary, nor may they serve as an elected representative, nor are they allowed to consult or make public or private intercourse with any acting United States Gov’t employee or representative above the level of assistant deputy secretary.

Would be a great first step to reforming our Gov’t

[sr4402]

From Wikapedia: She served as Associate White House Counsel under President Bill Clinton.

She defended the Bent One.

Kagan is also credited with overcoming ideological disputes among the Law School faculty that had hindered new faculty appointments

She helped push through a Liberal Law School faculty.

Also From Change Watch:Elena Kagan, believes the military should be barred from campus.

Believes courts should support hate crime laws and that when reviewing regulations of speech, courts could "evaluate motive directly,

I.E. Hate Speech as defined by Man, and Hidden Motive - Opens the door to prosecute any the Left deems Hateful.

Lastly: Ms. Kagan has never argued before the Supreme Court. In fact, she has never litigated a case to verdict or trial.

I.E. Not Qualified

[sr4402]

Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he was voting against Kagan because of her unwillingness to detail her views on controversial constitutional questions. "I'm not prepared to relinquish the prerogatives of the Senate to ask those kinds of questions," Specter said.

He doesn't understand it is OK for Liberal Democrats to do it, but not for Republicans. He needs to consider the other party since he is closer to them and be as Liberal as he wishes and no longer the big RINO he has been for us.

[Lurking Libertarian]

Kagan is also credited with overcoming ideological disputes among the Law School faculty that had hindered new faculty appointments She helped push through a Liberal Law School faculty.

That is the one comment of yours that isn't true. She actually hired a number of conservative law school profs, overcoming the resistance of entrenched faculty leftists.

[rmlew]

Is there something in your water? What is wrong with your senators?