Supreme Court      4/9/1998

Edward Lazarus, a former Supreme Court law clerk, has accused the Supreme Court of ”transparently deceitful and hypocritical arguments and factual distortions to reach bottom-line results. In crucial cases, narrow court majorities transformed constitutional law on the basis of opinions the justices knew to be wholly inadequate and unconvincing“ (Washington Times, 4/7/98). Lazarus' 1988—1989 clerk experience under Justice Harry Blackmun drives his assessment that law clerks are given too much power by the Supreme Court justices and many times ideology comes into play in issuing opinions that shape American jurisprudence. Lazarus' new book entitled ”Closed Chambers,“ chronicles the inner workings of the Supreme Court.

Many of his former colleagues charge that Lazarus has broken a code of silence where each law clerk is sworn to silence regarding his of her experience. However, Lazarus cites ”The Brethren,“ written by Bob Woodward and Scott Armstrong, as an example when clerks and a few justices were used as anonymous sources. He also revealed that clerks speak to reporters frequently and the only difference is -—”they don't put their names to it“ (Washington Times, 4/7/98).

Here is further proof that we, ”as the people,“ should be keeping our judiciary accountable for their decisions. Judical activism, as chronicled in this latest book, is rampant even in the highest reaches of our judiciary system. For more information on judicial activism and the Senate's record on approving federal judges, watch for the May issue of Family Voice coming to your house in the next couple of weeks.

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