Three conservative justices absent themselves from SOTU

American Thinker ^ | 02/13/2013 | Rick Moran

[SeekAndFind]

I'm sure it's happened before, but I can't recall any previous State of the Union speech where justices refused to attend based on disagreements with the president.

From Politico:

"The conservative wing of the U.S. Supreme Court was absent from President Obama's Tuesday State of the Union address.

Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia declined to join their six other colleagues at the prime time address to Congress.

During Obama's 2010 address, Alito was seen whispering the words "not true" during Obama's speech. Obama used his address to blast the court for their 2010 Citizens United case which altered the rules on corporate and union funding of elections.

In the aftermath of that speech, Alito complained that the justices were expected to sit in the House chamber "like the proverbial potted plant" and that it was now an awkward experience."

If I were a justice of the Supreme Court, I certainly would resent being used as a prop in a president's theatrical presentation. But, at bottom, the justices are a part of one of three co-equal branches of government. In that sense, attending the State of the Union is both a question of tradition, and a symbol of the majesty of the Constitution.

They should have been there.

[DBeers]

The conservative wing of the U.S. Supreme Court was absent from President Obama's Tuesday State of the Union address

In my opinion it sounded more like a "State of the Organized Community" or "State of the Collective" or "State of the Dreams from my Father" address. I am surprised no conservative writers have titled or headlined it as such.

[hinckley buzzard]

I believe that Clinton's 2000 SOTU message was boycotted by all of the justices.

[hinckley buzzard]

They should have been there.

Really? Why? For decades the SOTU was not even a speech, it was a written message to Congress. The SCOTUS was not involved at all. Historical ignorance like this idiot boy's insipid effort undermines the credibility of serious observors across the board.