Changes

Fortas's biggest impact was probably in legalizing pornography.  A former attorney for pornographers before he became Justice, Fortas even ruled in favor of one of his former clients.  Dozens of pro-pornography decisions were rendered during Fortas's tenure on the court.

Fortas's biggest impact was probably in legalizing pornography.  A former attorney for pornographers before he became Justice, Fortas even ruled in favor of one of his former clients.  Dozens of pro-pornography decisions were rendered during Fortas's tenure on the court.

When Chief Justice [[Earl Warren]] announced in 1968 that he would retire on the condition that a replacement were chosen, Johnson picked Fortas.  This selection of a crony offended even Democrats in the [[U.S. Senate]], and they refused to confirm him.  Disclosure of how Fortas accepted a large outside lecture fee discredited Fortas further.  Johnson withdrew the nomination.

When Chief Justice [[Earl Warren]] announced in 1968 that he would retire on the condition that a replacement were chosen, Johnson picked Fortas.  This selection of a crony offended even Democrats in the Senate, and they refused to confirm him.  Disclosure of how Fortas accepted a large outside lecture fee discredited Fortas further.  Johnson withdrew the nomination.

There is debate over whether the [[U.S. Senate]] actually [[filibuster]]ed the Fortas nomination before it was withdrawn.<ref>[http://inside.c-spanarchives.org:8080/cspan/cspan.csp?command=dprogram&record=560195972 CSPAN show]</ref> C. Boyden Gray stated that after opposition to Fortas

There is debate over whether the Senate actually [[filibuster]]ed the Fortas nomination before it was withdrawn.<ref>[http://inside.c-spanarchives.org:8080/cspan/cspan.csp?command=dprogram&record=560195972 CSPAN show]</ref> C. Boyden Gray stated that after opposition to Fortas developed, the Senate merely had a test vote that showed only 47 in favor of Fortas, less than even a simple majority.  Hence a filibuster was unnecessary and did not occur.  Gray explained that his clerkship with Warren in 1968-69 depended on failure of the Fortas nomination, so Gray was watching this very closely.

developed, the [[U.S. Senate]] merely had a test vote that showed only 47 in favor of Fortas, less than even a simple majority.  Hence a [[filibuster]] was unnecessary and did not occur.  Gray explained that his clerkship with Chief Justice [[Earl Warren]] for 1968-69 depended on failure of the Fortas nomination, so Gray was watching this very closely.

In early 1969, ''Life'' magazine ran a shocking expose about how Fortas had received $20,000 and a promise of annual payments for the rest of his life, and payments to his wife after he died, by a wealthy person facing conviction for insider trading.  This scandal resulted in calls for impeachment. Fortas resigned from the bench in 1969 but denied any wrongdoing.^{[http://www.oyez.org/justices/abe_fortas/]}  The law firm that he started, Arnold, Fortas and Porter, refused to take him back and removed "Fortas" from its name.

In early 1969, ''Life'' magazine ran a shocking expose about how Fortas had received $20,000 and a promise of annual payments for the rest of his life, and payments to his wife after he died, by a wealthy person facing conviction for insider trading.  This scandal resulted in calls for impeachment. Fortas resigned from the bench in 1969 but denied any wrongdoing.^{[http://www.oyez.org/justices/abe_fortas/]}  The law firm that he started, Arnold, Fortas and Porter, refused to take him back and removed "Fortas" from its name.