Subpeeny? We don't gots to show you know stinkin' subpeeny.

Round 1: Edge to Specter
Round 2: All Specter

In the sharp exchange over documents between Sen. Specter and Sen. Kennedy yesterday, it was difficult to call a winner. The edge goes to Specter because, in the end, he banged the gavel and Kennedy had to shut up. Round 2, played out backstage, however, went to Specter overwhelmingly.

The documents in question are 4 boxes of personal papers, in the possession of The Library of Congress but the property of William Rusher, former head of CAP (Concerned Alumni of Princeton). Kennedy wanted to halt the hearings for an executive committee session to vote on a subpoena for the records. Specter said he would consider it. Kennedy demanded an immediate vote. Specter reminded him of just who was, in fact, chairman of the committee. Kennedy threatened to request vote after vote until the records were produced. Specter gaveled him into silence. End of Round 1.

During the subsequent lunch break, Specter had his staff call Rusher and request the documents. Rusher said sure, have at them. Specter sent his staff over to the library to retrieve the 4 boxes. During the afternoon and evening yesterday, Specter's staff went through the 4 boxes of Rusher's records and couldn't find Judge Samuel Alito's name mentioned anywhere.

Apparently, the NYT's reporter David Kirkpatrick had already examined all the Rusher documents as well as others at Princeton and reported that they,

"give no indication that Judge Alito, who sits on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, was among the group's major donors. He was not an active leader of the group, and two of his classmates who were involved and Mr. Rusher said they did not remember his playing a role."

Interesting. Specter's staffers say that Alito's name is not even mentioned anywhere in the documents but the NYT says there is "no indication that . . . among the active donors." Why couldn't the NYT say, "We could find no mention of Judge Alito's name in the documents." I suppose that would be too honest and run contrary to the Times slant on things.

TAGS: Judge Samuel Alito, Sen. Arlen Specter, Teddy Kennedy, William Rusher, subpoena