The Ninth Circuit's Hawaiian Vacation

Despite criticism of costs, it's too late to cancel, judge says.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals told Senate Republicans late last week that it would go through with a conference in Hawaii later this month, despite GOP complaints that the conference could cost $1 million or more at a time of fiscal crisis.

In an Aug. 3 letter to Senate Budget Committee ranking member Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) and Judiciary Committee ranking member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Ninth Circuit Chief Judge Alex Kozinski said it would cost too much to cancel at this point. However, he said the Ninth Circuit would try to be more cost-conscious going forward.