Can you say irony, boys and girls?

[khaosworks]

Supreme Court Justice Scalia Bans Media From 'Free Speech' Event

CLEVELAND -- Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has banned broadcast media from an appearance Wednesday where he will receive an award for supporting free speech.

The ban "begs disbelief and seems to be in conflict with the award itself," C-SPAN vice president and executive producer Terry Murphy wrote in a letter last week to the City Club of Cleveland, which is presenting the honor. "How free is speech if there are limits to its distribution?"

The City Club, which regularly hosts appearances by public figures, selected Scalia for its Citadel of Free Speech Award because he has "consistently, across the board, had opinions or led the charge in support of free speech," said James Foster, executive director.

The club usually tapes speakers for later broadcast on public television station WVIZ. But Scalia insisted on banning television and radio coverage as a condition of his appearance.

"I might wish it were otherwise, but that was one of the criteria that he had for acceptance," Foster said.

Cameras and recording devices are banned from the Supreme Court chamber, and Scalia prefers not to have camera coverage in other settings, said Kathleen Arberg, spokeswoman for the court.

Maybe he thinks that the cameras will steal his soul. Or show his bad side. Which, considering what he looks like, maybe it's best for all concerned that it wasn't broadcast.

Remember, folks, this is the guy who said, "Most of the rights that you enjoy go way beyond what the Constitution requires." And this is guy pipped to replace Rehnquist to lead the Nine Black Nazgul Riders... sorry, I mean the Supreme Court Bench.

Don't you just love having Republican control of all three branches of government?