Posted on 02/19/2016 9:04:21 AM PST by SeekAndFind
Justice Antonin Scalia returned to the institution he helped shape for the last three decades in a somber memorial procession. His casket arrived at the Supreme Court, where it will lie in repose as mourners pay their respects to the intellectual giant that defined New Originalism in his tenure there. Prior to that, CNN reports, the other justices will take part in a private memorial service led by Scalia’s son Paul, a Catholic priest:
The body of late Justice Antonin Scalia is lying in repose Friday morning inside the Supreme Court building where he built a legacy as as a conservative legal icon.
All the current Supreme Court justices are attending a private ceremony being led by Scalia’s son, Father Paul Scalia, underway in the Great Hall. President Barack Obama and the first lady are expected to visit the court later Friday to honor Scalia.
The casket was placed on the Lincoln Catafalque, which was loaned to the court by Congress for the ceremony, and a 2007 portrait of Scalia by Nelson Shanks will be displayed. Supreme Court police officers served as pallbearers while Scalia’s law clerks served as honorary pallbearers.
After the private ceremony, the public will be invited in from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. to view the casket. Hundreds have already gathered outside.
Fox is live-streaming the events through its Twitter stream, although it’s not clear how long that will continue (via Heavy):
WATCH LIVE: Justice Scalia's casket arrives at Supreme Court https://t.co/Mdy2UG9QTB
— Fox News (@FoxNews) February 19, 2016
The Associated Press lays out the agenda for the next two days:
President Obama is expected to show up at the Supreme Court later today with his family, but will not attend the funeral tomorrow. Ted Cruz will attend, despite his campaign initially saying that it might not be possible:
Ted Cruz will attend the funeral of the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia on Saturday, after his campaign previously said he would not be able to leave the campaign trail.
Cruz had hit President Barack Obama multiple times for planning to miss Scalia’s funeral, but his campaign said earlier Thursday that Cruz would be unable to participate.
Spokeswoman Alice Stewart told CNN that Cruz wanted to attend the funeral, but it will be “impossible” given his upcoming campaign schedule and Saturday’s Republican primary in South Carolina.
Later on Thursday, Stewart said Cruz would be at the service.
Finally, though, we have a chance to put aside the partisan war over Scalia’s death and focus on his life — and the great and necessary work he performed for American jurisprudence for almost 30 years. Earlier, I wrote in a column for The Week that there is a bitter irony in the overshadowing of Scalia’s work and death by the political battle to replace him, but that we need to find a way to focus on his towering achievements:
None of these solutions will work in a system where people lack the basic understanding of constitutional prerogatives on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue, and in which the Supreme Court has eclipsed both Congress and the president in creating policy. Scalia, ironically, spent nearly three decades attempting to move the court back to a less activist model. Had that effort succeeded, it would have made his own passing remarkable in itself rather than a bugle call for both sides to divvy up the spoils.
Even with that, the epic breadth and depth of Scalia’s impact on American jurisprudence may take several more decades to be fully appreciated. At the moment, though, the nearly 30-year tit-for-tat judiciary battle between Republicans and Democrats only deepens the belief among voters that America’s institutions are failing its citizens, and that will be yet another reason for voters in both parties to look outside those institutions to make them work once more.
This gives us an opportunity to take a deep breath and thank the Lord for Scalia’s work. And after that, it’s time to continue it.
I think Ruth Ginsberg is feeling the loss the most.
Shannon Smith â@shannona_smith 3m3 minutes ago
Scalia affirmed Westboro’s right to protest funerals. Now they’re protesting his. http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2016/02/19/westboro_baptist_church_to_protest_scalia_s_funeral.html?wpsrc=sh_all_dt_tw_top ⦠via @slate #Irony
Dan Scavino Verified account â@DanScavino Feb 17
Glenn Beck: God Brought About Scaliaâs Death So America Would Vote For @TedCruz | via @DailyCaller http://dailycaller.com/2016/02/17/glenn-beck-god-brought-about-scalias-death-so-america-would-vote-for-ted-cruz/ â¦
Never let a photo op go to waste. And this one is right up his alley. (appointments to SCOTUS)
Then you should have no problem finding many examples of me making childish anti-Trump comments on the dozens of pro-Trump threads on this forum.
I'll wait.
... Guess it didnât poll well when Cruz said his campaign schedule didnât allow him to attend.
As if. Most laughable post of the day.
I don’t think so Tim. Some of us believe in our long held principles.
What the heck is a pro Trump thread and why is there even one. All threads should be open to any FReeper that wishes to comment on it, including the phony “Rally” threads.
The Senate is not in session today today or tomorrow so Cruz is free to attend as he sees fit.
But anyway, that shouldn’t be a concern for him, since he has already skipped virtually every Senate vote so far this year.
I know there are some on the Cruz side doing the same thing but supporting Cruz as I do it sure seems like the former are more numerous and persistent.
Who is Tim libby?
What is a pro Trump thread? Threads are for anyone and if you can comment so can Bob and I. I frankly don’t care how many times you post and you might allow others the same respect.
Think of my post as more as an appeal to simple decorum. After awhile the gratuitous insults & childish taunts become counterproductive, lets agree on that much.
LOL, thanks for the clarification. ;)
As Americans we likely agree on more than we disagree. Had you not called Bob “one tune” it would have seemed like “simple decorum”. The “bilge” comment didn’t sound like that either. But we can politely agree to disagree. Whether or not we support the same candidate we all support freedom of speech. I wish you a sincere good day.
No way would Cruz miss Scalia’s funeral. He genuinely loved him as a person and revered him as a Justice.
Not true, the body lies in state for viewing according to family preferences. Either closed or open and in the case of my father, it was open. Following the final closing of the casket at the funeral ceremony, the body is either transported to the cemetery for burial or sent off for cremation.................
Why would someone pay for a casket and then a cremation too?
Senseless.
"Many funeral homes will rent an attractive casket to families who want the body present for visitation or service before cremation. After the service, the body is transferred to an inexpensive container for cremation. Rental caskets often cost around $800 however, so you might consider using the less expensive alternative container and draping it with an attractive cloth, a quilt, or a flag."
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