If you've taken con law you really must read The Brethren by Bob Woodward. I'm reading it now and it's incredibly good -- an inside look at the Supreme Court in the 1969-75 terms.

One of my problems with my con law casebook & professor is that every decision was presented as this neatly packaged product of consistently evolving judicial thought. The reality -- as one might expect -- is much messier. The Sup Ct is just another high-school like political environment, with all the whining, slacking, tantrums and cliquishness you'd expect.

The book covers the arrival of Rehnquist on the court. In honor of the man, a few excerpts.

Rehnquist slipped into the [weekly meeting of all the justices] one day and took his seat. He pulled a magazine from his stack of papers. The National Lampoon had just released its February issue. The centerfold was entitled "Amicae Curiae" -- Friends of the Court -- and it depicted ... all nine of the Justices engaged in a variety of sexual activity.

The Chief [Warren Burger], naked except for holster and pistol, was on the floor licking the boot of an otherwise naked young woman.

Brennan was standing in front of two very young girls holding his robe open.

Stewart was measuring the throat of a young woman with a ruler, apparently in preparation for oral sex.

Rehnquist, clad in a woman's bra and red garter belt, was parading before the others cracking a black whip.

White, a blindfold partially covering his glasses, was apparently engaged in some taxing sexual activity, though the cartoon did not make it clear what that activity was.

Powell was kneeling naked, his hands bound together, while a black woman in underwear marked "Exhibit A" flogged him.

Marshall stood by the side of the bench doing nothing but looking up at Douglas, who sat alone on the bench with a naked young boy at his side.

Blackmun was sodomizing a kangaroo.

Chuckling, Rehnquist passed the issue around the table.

20 Sep 05