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| | ==Early Years as a Lawyer== | | ==Early Years as a Lawyer== |
| − | Although he lacked vast experience as a lawyer, many of his father's important clients stayed with him out of respect for the elder Kennedy. His clients soon discovered the young lawyer had just as much, if not more, legal skills than his father.<br> | + | Although he lacked vast experience as a lawyer, many of his father's important clients stayed with him out of respect for the elder Kennedy. His clients soon discovered the young lawyer had just as much, if not more, legal skills than his father. |
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| | Kennedy had a talent for socializing and soon made many friends among the influential Californian politicians. Kennedy also donated large sums of money on behalf of himself and his clients to various political officials in the state.<br> | | Kennedy had a talent for socializing and soon made many friends among the influential Californian politicians. Kennedy also donated large sums of money on behalf of himself and his clients to various political officials in the state.<br> |
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| − | ==Establishing Contacts== | + | ==Connection with President [[Ronald Reagan]]== |
| − | Through his work as a lobbyist, Kennedy befriended [[Ed Meese]] who was a California District Attorney. The two, sharing similarities in age and background, became close friends. Meese left to work for then-Governor Reagan in 1966 and Kennedy continued his work as an attorney and lobbyist.<br> | + | Through his work as a lobbyist, Kennedy befriended [[Ed Meese]] who was a California District Attorney. The two, sharing similarities in age and background, became close friends. Meese left to work for then-Governor Reagan in 1966 and Kennedy continued his work as an attorney and lobbyist. |
| − | The two men did not lose touch with each other, however, and Kennedy continued to help Meese and Reagan in small capacities. Kennedy also taught constitutional law for a brief period during this time at the McGeorge School of Law of the University of the Pacific. In 1973, Meese recruited Kennedy to help Reagan draft Proposition One, a ballot initiative to limit the state's spending. He campaigned throughout the state to push the passage of the proposal and his efforts won him Reagan's favor.<br> | + | |
| | + | The two men did not lose touch with each other, however, and Kennedy continued to help Meese and Reagan in small capacities. Kennedy also taught constitutional law for a brief period during this time at the McGeorge School of Law of the University of the Pacific. In 1973, Meese recruited Kennedy to help Reagan draft Proposition One, a ballot initiative to limit the state's spending. He campaigned throughout the state to push the passage of the proposal and his efforts won him Reagan's favor. |
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| | ==The Ninth Circuit== | | ==The Ninth Circuit== |
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| | When Justice Lewis Powell retired in 1987, Kennedy appeared on a short list of possibilities for the President's nomination, but [[Ronald Wilson Reagan| Reagan]] nominated [[Robert Bork]], but the feisty, conservative Bork met with fierce opposition from liberals in the Senate and ultimately failed to win confirmation. Reagan nominated Douglas Ginsburg, a judge from the U.S. Court of Appeals in the District of Columbia Circuit. Ginsburg, however, withdrew himself from consideration when allegations concerning his past marijuana use. Reagan, on the advice of Meese, finally turned to Kennedy to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court. Kennedy's nomination, unlike Reagan's two previous picks, encountered little resistance. After the tumultuous events surrounding Bork and Ginsburg, Kennedy's low key nomination appeared calming and even liberals thought of him as fair-minded and pragmatic. The Senate unanimously confirmed Kennedy and he was sworn into office on February 8, 1988. | | When Justice Lewis Powell retired in 1987, Kennedy appeared on a short list of possibilities for the President's nomination, but [[Ronald Wilson Reagan| Reagan]] nominated [[Robert Bork]], but the feisty, conservative Bork met with fierce opposition from liberals in the Senate and ultimately failed to win confirmation. Reagan nominated Douglas Ginsburg, a judge from the U.S. Court of Appeals in the District of Columbia Circuit. Ginsburg, however, withdrew himself from consideration when allegations concerning his past marijuana use. Reagan, on the advice of Meese, finally turned to Kennedy to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court. Kennedy's nomination, unlike Reagan's two previous picks, encountered little resistance. After the tumultuous events surrounding Bork and Ginsburg, Kennedy's low key nomination appeared calming and even liberals thought of him as fair-minded and pragmatic. The Senate unanimously confirmed Kennedy and he was sworn into office on February 8, 1988. |
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| − | Since he had experience as a federal judge Kennedy made an easy transition to the Supreme Court od the United States|Supreme Court]]. Kennedy has voted consistently with his past record on many issues. He remains conservative on crime issues and still refuses to broaden the scope of his opinions. He has been effective in holding unlikely coalitions on the Court. Kennedy is an important pivot on which close decisions turn. Kennedy has recently become an important part of the [[U.S. Supreme Court|Court's]] centrist bloc. . | + | Since he had experience as a federal judge Kennedy made an easy transition to the [[U.S. Supreme Court]]. Kennedy has voted consistently with his past record on many issues. He remains conservative on crime issues and still refuses to broaden the scope of his opinions. He has been effective in holding unlikely coalitions on the Court. Kennedy is an important pivot on which close decisions turn. Kennedy has recently become an important part of the [[U.S. Supreme Court|Court's]] centrist bloc. |
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| | {{DEFAULTSORT: Kennedy, Anthony}} | | {{DEFAULTSORT: Kennedy, Anthony}} |
| | [[Category:US Judges]] | | [[Category:US Judges]] |