On Aug. 5, 1986, Antonin Scalia smoked a pipe during his confirmation hearing to be Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the U.S. while his wife and nine children sat behind him.
I also told Judge Kavanaugh I would support him on one condition: he smokes a pipe during his confirmation hearing like the late Justice Scalia. pic.twitter.com/6xCHaNlQOB
— Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) August 1, 2018
During the hearing, Scalia declined to answer many of the senators’ questions, The New York Times reported. For example, Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Edward M. Kennedy asked Scalia if he expected to overrule the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. Scalia replied he did not think it would be proper to answer because he could be accused of “having a less than partial view.”
He then added his only agenda is to “be a good judge.” (RELATED: Flashback: Former Justice Antonin Scalia Revealed Who He Wanted To Replace Him During Obama Presidency)
35 YEARS AGO TODAY …#OTD August 5, 1986:
Antonin Scalia #SCOTUS nomination hearing.
Among the action:
— Scalia smoked a pipe
— Biden used the phone
— @LeaderMcConnell asked a question
— Bolton cracked a smile pic.twitter.com/S1J66Q41U8— Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) August 5, 2021
In 1986, former President Ronald Reagan appointed the 50-year-old nominee to the Supreme Court and was unanimously confirmed by the Senate to take Justice William H. Rehnquist’s seat. In 1982, Reagan appointed Scalia to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Scalia was the 106th person appointed to the Supreme Court and the first Italian-American justice.
Scalia said that he was trying “to fight against’” his usual inclination to challenge his audience’s views. Then-Sen. Joe Biden said, “Well, let yourself go, because it’s been pretty boring so far.”