Posts Tagged ‘Brian Lamb’

Nick Gillespie

Reason.tv: Why Have Cameras Been in Katie Couric’s Colon But Not The Supreme Court?

by Nick Gillespie

Cameras are everywhere today: In convenience stores, at intersections, the workplace, your computer, your cellphone, ATM machines. There’s even been a camera in news anchor Katie Couric.

Yet there’s one place cameras have never been allowed: The U.S. Supreme Court. Just what are Supreme Court justices hiding beneath their robes that they continue to say no to cameras in their courtroom?

For decades the White House and Congress have opened their public business to television cameras, but the judicial branch has remained staunchly against the practice. As C-SPAN’s Brian Lamb tells Reason.tv, the justices have rebuffed every attempt to videotape the oral arguments phase of Supreme Court proceedings. On this, an often-divided court remains unanimous, even if the arguments offered up Justices Scalia, Breyer, Thomas, Kennedy, and others remain even weaker than the majority’s logic in their awful Kelo decision, which legitimated eminent domain abuse.

Both Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan have spoken in favor of cameras in the Supreme Court. Can a new batch of justices, more attune to the benefits of transparency, finally change things for the better?

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Publius

Wednesday Open Thread: Brian Lamb Edition

by Publius

Brian Lamb is the founder, Chairman and CEO of C-SPAN, the non-profit cable channel that broadcasts Congressional proceedings. Few people have done more to empower the general public’s engagement with those in power. Thank you, Brian Lamb.

Brian Lamb, Chairman of C-SPAN