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Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas spoke Thursday at the unveiling of the statue of the late Judge Antonin Scalia at the George Mason University School of Law named Scalia. (Katherine Frey / The Washington Post)
Nick Anderson
Reporter covering higher education, national education policy and the global education market
While the debate raged on Capitol Hill about a Supreme Court nomination that could shape the future of the court for decades, five judges met Thursday in a law school of the United States. 39, another side of the Potomac River for the inauguration of a statue honoring an icon of his recent past – the late Justice of Justice Antonin Scalia.
The larger-than-life bronze sculpture of 8½ feet is now the centerpiece of a school atrium named Scalia at George Mason University in northern Virginia. . He represents the jurist standing in his court dress, next to an office that he used in his room, arms crossed and his head tilted slightly toward contemplation.
Four people who served with Scalia were present: Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Judges Samuel A. Alito Jr., Elena Kagan and Clarence Thomas. The man who held Scalia's seat in 2017 just over a year after his death – Judge Neil M. Gorsuch.
Thomas paid tribute to Scalia in a five-minute speech highlighting his legacy as a lawyer, who focused on interpreting the terms of the Constitution as they were interpreted at the time of writing. This approach is known as "originalism".
"He probably would not want me to say that," Thomas said, "but he often wondered if his work really mattered or whether it would have far-reaching consequences for the future."
Thomas assured Scalia that his impact would be lasting. Because of Scalia, Thomas said that "even non-originalists had to refer to founding documents and sometimes to the Constitution" – a remark that drew chuckles into the crowd – "and at least respond to the arguments of the party. ; original intent. "
Speeches on the appointment of Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh were not mentioned. For weeks, the bid has consumed Washington and a large part of the country. If the Senate confirmed President Trump's choice, Kavanaugh would cement a conservative majority in the Supreme Court with views likely to echo Scalia's case law.
But Thursday's ceremony in Arlington was much more personal than political.
Students, teachers and others joined the large Scalia family during the event. A reading room in the legal library was also dedicated to Maureen McCarthy Scalia, the matriarch of the family. She was sitting in the front row, to Thomas's right, facing the statue of her late husband.
The crowd admired the work of sculptor Greg Wyatt, who consulted extensively with the Scalias about the project.
John F. Scalia, the third of nine of the couple's children, had donned one of his father's court robes and posed for Wyatt to help the sculptor understand the shape of his arms, fingers, cheeks and chin. his subject. The final result, said John Scalia, is a striking resemblance that gave him shivers when he saw the whole thing unfold. It had all the details, from his father's favorite stiletto heels to a knotted tie. "A double Windsor mark," said the son, with a perfect dimple in the middle.
For the Scalia Law School, officially named after the jurist in 2016, the ceremony recalled its proximity to the elite legal circles in Washington. The name change of the school of 525 students had been somewhat controversial at the time. Critics have questioned why the public university should align with a legal personality known to be a powerful anchor for the conservative wing of the court that has written cutting-edge opinions. But George Mason's president, Angel Cabrera, said he thought critics were going well.
Cabrera said Scalia's legacy was in keeping with the university's mission. "One of the themes that he defended and articulated with force was the need for a vigorous, informed and civil-minded debate," said Cabrera. "It's a very important message. It's not an ideological message. It's a good reminder of what we should be as a university and society. "
The students said that Scalia's name put the school first. Magdalena D'Aiuto, 22, a sophomore, or "2L" from Ocala, Florida, was amazed to see judges on campus.
"It's an honor that the Chief Justice addresses our school," D'Aiuto said.
She added that she was also excited to see Kagan. "I'm a fan of the Supreme Court," she joked. "I would like to exercise before the Supreme Court one day."
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