Today in Supreme Court History: March 22, 1957

3/22/1957: Justice Charles Whittaker takes oath.

Comments

[Michael P]

Also, Dick Durbin claims that it is "unfair" to critique a Supreme Court nominee's past rulings as a judge.

[Queen Amalthea]

Wow, that would be an odd thing for him to say. I'm sure you just forgot to source and provide the exact quote because you were busy or something. When you have time maybe you'll provide those so we can really be amazed at such an oddity.

[Queen Amalthea]

"After agonizing deeply for months over his vote in Baker v. Carr, a landmark reapportionment case, Whittaker suffered a nervous breakdown in the spring of 1962. At the behest of Chief Justice Earl Warren, Whittaker recused himself from the case and retired from the Court effective March 31, 1962, citing exhaustion from the heavy workload and stress.[6]...Effective September 30, 1965, Whittaker resigned his position as a retired Justice in order to become chief counsel to General Motors. He also became a resolute critic of the Warren Court as well as the Civil Rights Movement, characterizing the civil disobedience of the type practiced by Martin Luther King Jr. and his followers as lawless."

[Bob from Ohio]

" In that position he [Earl Warren] supported, and was a firm proponent of, the forced removal and internment of over 100,000 Japanese Americans during World War II."

[Sarcastr0]

Yes, Bob. Liberals can understand a flawed man doing good.

You may think that denying immaculate hero worship is a sick own, but that's on you.

[Bob from Ohio]

Flawed? Advocating concentration camps is merely a flaw, got it.

[Queen Amalthea]

Bob, of course, was so adamant about the removal of, say, Confederate statues!

[LawTalkingGuy]

Charles Evans Whittaker was a complete dolt who definitely got a leg up in life because of his color, gender, and political connections. At the time of his appointment he certainly wasn't the most celebrated judge or lawyer even amongst white men. A lesser white man, if you will.