Today in Supreme Court History: December 27, 1771

12/27/1771: Justice William Johnson's birthday.

Justice William Johnson

Comments

[Dan Schiavetta]

Socialist Workers Party v. Attorney General of the United States, 419 U.S. 1314 (decided December 27, 1974): Marshall denies stay of Circuit Court order; as a result FBI agents are allowed to attend/monitor SWP's national youth convention; Marshall notes that convention was open to the public, agents would not be disruptive, and if agents were excluded "the potential injury to the FBI's continuing investigative efforts would be apparent" (unclear what they were investigating) (I wonder how that changed the tone of the convention, with everyone knowing FBI agents were present?)
P.S. Some of the "radicals" at my undergrad college flattered themselves by thinking the FBI was in our midst. If that was really true, it would have been a waste of taxpayer dollars. We were no threat to anything, let alone national security. We were just a harmless, disorganized bunch of idiots. Half of us couldn't even spell.
My friend (we called him "Rasta John") was absolutely convinced. Supposedly one could tell a wiretap by a "click" on the phone line. I would be casually talking to him on some mundane matter, and then I would tap my pen against the receiver. "Did you hear that??!" "No. Anyway . . . " And then I tapped my pen again. He went stark raving nuts. With some people, it's almost as if you're being dared.

[John F. Carr]

It was rumored that all the pay phones in a particular location frequented by ne'er-do-wells were permanently wiretapped. Most of the incriminating calls must have been people calling their pot dealers.

[Dan Schiavetta]

Could be!

Nixon's Watergate henchmen used to carry coin dispensers on their belts so that they could do their business via pay phone. This was testified to by Tony Ulasewicz at the televised hearings. It made me look differently at the ice cream man when he made change for my dollar.

[John F. Carr]

I went to college with a guy who wore a coin dispenser. He always had exact change. Now I know he was secretly a drug dealer or a plumber.

[The Margrave of Azilia]

Why not both? He could have been Mario.

Coins, magic mushrooms...it all fits together.

[Dan Schiavetta]

and . . .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDbSzWGVqfE

Cheech & Chong: "Don't Answer the Phone!"

[The Margrave of Azilia]

William Johnson of South Carolina.

Whenever he left his home state, the number of nationalists there dropped in half.

[Syd Henderson]

Any time Today in Supreme Court History commemorates a Justice's birthday or nomination, you have to think nothing important happened that day, and captcrisis is there to confirm it.