Wednesday, April 5, 2023

Sid Salter: Pickering, Scalia, and the Unicorns of Bipartisanship & Civility

 A fascinating facet of last week’s dedication of the papers of federal Judge Charles Pickering and former U.S. Rep. Chip Pickering to the Mississippi Political Collections at Mississippi State University’s Mitchell Memorial Library was hearing the father and son donors talk about their long relationships with the late Presiding Justice of the Supreme Court Antonin Scalia.

The MPC is the repository of archival materials from national, state and local lawmakers, judges, congressional staffers, scholars and activists whose careers are connected to Mississippi. The collection features Democrats and Republicans, liberals and conservatives, and hosts the papers of figures as diverse as former Clinton era Secretary of Agriculture Mike Espy to MSU alums Sen. John C. Stennis and U.S. Rep. “Sonny” Montgomery to U.S. District Judge William C. Keady.

The collection’s value to researchers examines the Civil Rights movement, the war in Vietnam, and the Watergate scandal. With the U.S. Grant Presidential Library and the Frank and Virginia Williams Collection of Lincolniana, the MSU Libraries have become a favorite destination of scholarly and popular writers and researchers.

The younger Pickering is one in a long line of Mississippi’s Third District congressmen to donate their papers to MSU. The senior Pickering made clear that he desired to have his papers in the same library as his son’s.

During a panel discussion as part of the event, Judge Pickering discussed the U.S. Senate confirmation process after President George W. Bush nominated him in 2001 for elevation from a decade of honorable service on the bench of the U.S. District Court to a seat on the 5thCircuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans devolved into a partisan circus.

Despite being declared “well qualified” by the American Bar Association after a decade on the federal district court bench, Pickering was denied a vote on his confirmation to the 5th Circuit by Senate Democrats utilizing a politically weaponized filibuster tactic that blocked votes on 10 Bush-era judicial nominees including Pickering.

Eventually, a bipartisan “Gang of 14” including seven Democrats and seven GOP senators compromised on a plan to clear the judicial nomination logjam, but Pickering was one of three judges never given a vote based on fears by the pro-abortion lobby that his religious views would render him unable to follow the law in reproductive rights cases.

That topic brought up Pickering’s long friendship with conservative Supreme Court Justice Scalia. For more than 20 years, Scalia and Pickering enjoyed a friendship based on a shared affinity for both the law and the outdoors – including hunting and fishing.

Pickering talked at length about Scalia’s deep personal friendship with the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg – easily the most liberal member of the court during her tenure. He remarked how their deep political differences never blocked their friendship and civility.

Another high court liberal – Justice Elena Kagan – accompanied Scalia and other conservatives on a Mississippi duck hunt in which civility and partisan rancor were replaced with fellowship and good humor.

Listening to his father’s account of those days with Scalia in Mississippi, the junior Pickering said: “If we can ever restore a common purpose, common mission, common language, common value system—at least in the best degree we can—that’s our only hope to restore civility. What I hope is we can go back to what we know works: sitting in the room with people that are different than yourself, from different places and with different beliefs, and sitting there until we find common ground.”

In the current political climate in this country, it’s harder to conceptualize bipartisan tolerance and cooperation to govern and serve the electorate. In recent years – marked by those who seek to govern by Tweet or post rather than by actual policymaking and are seemingly fixated on scorched-earth political obliteration of their partisan opponents rather than a realization that in most cases those “opponents” are their fellow Americans.

Bipartisanship and civility in politics have become as rare as unicorns and our state and nation are the worse for it. Neither political party is any more or less responsible for it and as voters, we’ve rewarded many of the more bitter practitioners of it in both parties.

 

10 comments:

Chip Pickering values = Oxymoron said...

... the junior Pickering said: “If we can ever restore a common purpose, common mission, common language, common value system ...

Yup, Chip, let's talk about common values.

Ultimately, Creekmore-Byrd gave Pickering the option to remain a public servant or become a private citizen and continue relations with her.

"After Pickering's rejection of Governor Haley Barbour's offer to the vacant Lott position, and because Pickering did not want to lose the love and affection of his paramour, Creekmore-Byrd, Pikering made the decision to leave his wife and five children to be with Creekmore-Byrd"

Tip O’Neill said...

@8:47 you win the comment section for today.

Anonymous said...

Undefeated, untied, all time champion of the world!

Anonymous said...

Good Baptist missionary abandoned 5 of his own kids for billionaires lifestyle

Maybe religious indoctrination should be prohibited

Anonymous said...

Civility in politics is dead, dead, dead.

Anonymous said...

" Good Baptist missionary abandoned 5 of his own kids for billionaires lifestyle"

Yep. Sums it up nicely.

Anonymous said...

It’s good to know where to go when there’s another paper shortage owing to the next breakout of the deadly covid virus.

Anonymous said...

Those kids aren't abandoned. That is ridiculous. Mom has her own business too and it does very well. Dad is always there for the kids.

Anonymous said...

The best part about the Pickering divorce was the Chancery Judge sealing his diary. His ex was denied access to his contemporaneous notes in a civil case.

No female should ever look at a male diary. Even though the young Pickering was a member of the "Animal House" in Washington.

Anonymous said...

Men don't piddle with diaries. Men take photos and secret videos.


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Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


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Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

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