A decision by Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia to accept an invitation from Congresswoman Michele Bachmann to address incoming House members on the Constitution prompts concern that the high court is inserting itself into politics.
The Los Angeles Times reported the reaction of experts including George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley, who said the move by Scalia showed “exceedingly poor judgment.”
“He said the association of Scalia, an outspoken conservative, with the bombastic Bachmann, who once accused then- Sen. Barack Obama of being ‘anti-American,’ could contribute to the high court becoming overly politicized.”
This week, Scalia said in an interview that the Constitution does not protect people against discrimination on the basis of sex and sexual orientation, which he called the job of the legislatures.
Bachmann, the founder of the House Tea Party caucus and a potential 2012 presidential candidate, defended the invitation by saying that both Democrats and Republicans were welcome to attend the speech on January 24. Scalia will address the topic of separation of powers.
The event would not be the first time a sitting Supreme Court justice has conferred with the legislative branch, the Times reported.
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