Port please. Welcome our host jen mascot assistant professor of law and code executive director of the sea Boyden Gray Center for the study of the Administrative State at the Antonin Scalia law school and john malcolm heritage is Vice President for the institute of Constitutional Government and director of the me center for legal and judicial studies. Well, i want to welcome you all to the Heritage Foundation on behalf of heritage in the great center. Today has been its been a special day and it is still a special day. We are delighted to be here honoring the 30th anniversary of Justice Thomass appointment to the Supreme Court as an associate justice. Weve been fortunate to have Justice Thomas here before he was our 2016 story lecturer and we are thrilled that he is here with us this evening. So with that im going to turn it over to my cohost jen and i hope you enjoy the evenings program. Thank you, john. Good evening. The sea boy and grace center is thrilled to host this event with the Heritage Foundation and commemorate the very significant milestone of Justice Thomas 30 years and the Supreme Court. Justice thomas is now the longest serving justice currently on the court and at the young age of 73 if he serves for just seven more years. He will become the longest serving justice in us Supreme Court history. We are kicking off the evening celebration of the justices jurisprudence with a very special award presentation by our sinners namesake former ambassador and White House Council steve. Boyden gray. In honor of Justice Thomass 30 years and his role as one of the leading jurists of the 20th and 21st centuries this year. The grace center is awarding for the first time will become an annual award named after the Justice Justice to honor his ongoing legacy . The justice clearance time is First Principles of war will be given out each year in october to an individual who has shown exemplary dedication to principled application of the rule of law humility and strength of character. The award is inscribed with the quote from Justice Thomas from a 2001 speech titled be not afraid that embodies the justices approach to life and the law a warning to Never Surrender to the understandably attractive impulse towards creative but unwarranted alterations of First Principles. Justice thomass story rising from childhood in the segregated south and poverty to a seat on the Supreme Court is a poignant personification of the american story of liberty and optimism. Justice thomass wife and careers a picture of hope and determination faith and principled character rising above significant adversity to engagement in Great Service and leadership writing some of the most landmark judicial opinions on originalism of our time. To give out this years inaugural award an honor of the Justice Thomas. Were going to welcome the centers namesake see boyden gray to the stage. Boyd worked in the white house for 12 years serving as counsel to the Vice President during the Reagan Administration and as white House Counsel to president George Hw Bush where he was in charge of judicial selection for the administration that nominated Justice Thomas. Among many other roles boeing also has served as Us Ambassador to the European Union and as a us special envoy. Currently he serves as a Founding Partner of boyd and grain associates and hes a key supporter in participant in the work of the gray center founded by now dc circuit judge naomi round 2015 to encourage debate on constitutional and practical questions related to the proper role of administrative agencies within the constitutional separation of powers. So please join me in welcoming boyden. Thank you so much for joining us this evening. You have no idea what an honor this is for me. You have no idea and im overwhelmed by. By this by this reception and by the person who is being honored the two people who are being honored the first being the justice for his commitment to constitutional originalism and to liberty and to the rule of law and to judge silverman who was getting the first First Principles award . And ive often wondered whether they were secretly meeting every day. Over the last 20 or 30 years because theres a certain resonance and there are many areas that that deeply interest me, but one of the ones that gives me the most fun is theyre shared questions about New York Times versus sullivan. Ill say that ive looked at. Judge settlements his draft followed it very closely as careers. Very exciting what he did very varied, but ive looked in vain for anything that could explain his Administrative Law expertise prior to his going on the court in 1985. He did a lot of very important foreign intelligence work. He practiced law and honolulu as i think he served to stand as Deputy Attorney general and deputy secretary of labor, but i dont think those jobs would have would have trained him and so i have to fixate i havent got time to roast him about his three years as ambassador to um, yugoslavia and im wondering no ones ever suggested to me that that was a recommendation for the dc circuit. Let alone a requirement. But after thinking about it and having been in a bathroom thinking about it, you know you you spend three years in a broken country like that that no longer exists and it really does concentrate the mind on our own constitution. So so i think thats thats why you but before i sit down ive talked too much already. I i think its important to remember that that the dialogue that they have and are still having isnt all that the solvents have done. Judge, someones first wife who died too young was a colleague of Justice Thomas when he was citizen thomas at the eeoc and there they formed a bond that propelled the servants in the becoming the greatest supporters and cheerleaders and help helpers for the justice as he moved into the dc circuit through the dc circuit when they shared time there and then currently as we as we all know, that is something which i think should not go on recognized trish keeps up the tradition larry. I will say this about you no one has had more to do. With Justice Thomass extraordinary journey than you accept possibly. President George Hw Bush who nominated him to the to the court of appeals in the Supreme Court and senator Jack Danforth who gave citizen thomass first job in missouri and became his indispensable backer in the senate much much later, so please come up and say some words and let me give you this thing. If i could the key to what he just said. Was a few words. And theres one word that seemed quite inappropriate and i didnt realize it. That it was part of the award. Was the word humility because i thought about this. And i richly deserve this award. But not for the reasons boyden said many years ago as the Reagan Administration was ending. Clarence thomas came to me for career advice now is a little duplicitous because i had already been on the phone with boyden. Recommending him for the court of appeals so i wasnt really nonpartisan about this. But i had to do some real talking because clarence. Who had exhibited real leadership . Management ability brains as chairman of the eeoc like so many lawyers who get into a management job Senior Management job and government thought he could translate that into the corporate world, which he could so i had to talk with him for some time. About the prospect of being a judge. And i gradually convinced him and as he said in a Television Production the key was i told them if you didnt like it, you could leave its not slavery. When he became a judge he provided me with an enormous boom. We sat together for only a few times but the real joy i got. Came from the fact that i wanted the best chambers in the courthouse overlooking John Marshall park and pennsylvania avenue the incumbent in that chamber Spotswood Robinson was retiring from the court. Pat wald had seniority over me and indicated she wanted that chambers. So i schemed. I let the circuit executive know. That i want to sit next to clarence. So we could consult. That was horrified. She thought id have a bad influence. Little did. She know that Clarence Thomas would be the most independentminded juris weve ever seen. But she would but she was apprehensive. And so she withdrew her desire for this wonderful chambers, and i got it. Now that brings me. To the reason why i deserve this award. I talk clarence into being a judge. That has resulted. In Clarence Thomass ultimate role on the Supreme Court where he has become . One of the small handful of the most important justices in American History and in a long career in government and on the bench i roughly realize. Is the single most important thing ive ever done. Thank you. Ladies. Thank you. Judge silverman and boyden. We are very grateful. Just soberman that youre representing the grace center is the inaugural recipient of the justice clearance thomas First Principles award. And now as we move closer to the keynote portion of the evening, we will hear from a man who really needs no introduction, but i will do my best. Donagan currently leads the Government Regulatory Practice Group at drones day where hes been a partner for many years. Hes also previously served a Senate Confirmed fec commissioner, but hes perhaps best known for his role in serving as the first White House Council for president donald trump. And in that role don spearheaded two confirmation processes for Supreme Court justices for both Justice Gorsuch and justice kavanaugh. And as a former kavanaugh clerk, i can say were particularly grateful for all of the resolute efforts by both don and leader mcconnell who will hear from very soon and bringing that confirmation process home and across the finish line. That successful process then led a short time later to an increase in the Senate Majority which in turn led to the confirmation of Justice Amy Coney barrett whose own Confirmation Team was led by another principled and talented white House Counsel who had a group of associates and deputies many of whom themselves are formed former thomas clerks. So in addition to dons role in jumpstarting multiple Supreme Court confirmation processes. He has also been highly influential in the second wave of the Justice Thomas legacy, which is the judicial selection of many of Justice Thomass former clerks to the bench during the Trump Administration at least seven former thomas clerks were confirmed to various Circuit Court positions and another five whole different federal judicial roles and so don. We thank you very much for your leadership. We thank you for your service to the country and we thank you so much for your time tonight and introducing Senate Republican leader Mitch Mcconnell. Before turning to my assigned introductory degrees. I want to thank the Heritage Foundation in particular john malcolm. His work i want to thank jim mascot for the kind introduction and Steve William gray center at silly law school for their efforts including on this event. When you look at the list of established and serious people that have an assembled here throughout the day it leaves me certain that the meaning will cover this event in way to cover all serious substance, which means were going to be on csp. Read it 4 52. Heres a movie about Clarence Thomas. I didnt think so because were all watching the squid game. Apparently thats not gonna be understood on cease band, which is fortunate on a serious note. Its truly an honor to be among so many. Of my personal heroes inspired influence me including Justice Thomas and of course our keynote speaker. I cant mention everyone in the room because this is really whos who all stars judgling on staring at me. So im going to make but i do want to mention avoiding gray when i had my turn in the barrel at the other end of pennsylvania avenue. Thats what we call it around the dinner table. I still called employment office. Avoid was the one while in that office. That was really the prime architect of Justice Thomass ascension to the Supreme Court. That was 30 years ago. And in case you dont already feel old enough, i was a first year law student. Every minute i did not mean reading glasses then. Under the plain text of the constitution the president has the power to nominate and the power to a point judges. That powers contingent upon the senate offering its advice and consent. All president s certainly take the advice seriously. But it is really the consent of their most interested. No speaker has had more than a frontrow seat in the advice consent role of the senate. The constitution speaks of the senate meaning the body as a whole and not the personal preferences of anyone member. But occasionally in history and rarely in history can one senators impact. He favorably completed with the constitutional role of the senate. Our keynote speaker is such a figure. He has always had an eye on the long game. He was born in alabama as a boy moved with this family to georgia and then to, kentucky. Graduated from the university of louisville with honors. He went to washington dc to attend the march on washington for jobs in freedom for dr. Martin luther king deliveries. I had a dream speech he interned for a senator. He graduated from the university of Kentucky College of law where he was president of the student bar association. He became a lawyer and worked for another center back in kentucky. He practiced law and talked Political Science at the university of louisville. He served his Deputy Attorney general under president ford. Serving with the now household legendary names of bork silberman and scalia after a few local political electoral victories he ran was elected to the United States senate in 1984 where he has served with distinction ever since both his majority leader and on on unfortunate occasion, its minority leader. But distinction does not capture the impact. He has had not only on the senate but on our country. Relevant tonight to tonights proceedings his argued before the United StatesSupreme Court. While serving as a senator he was the lead plaintiff in the seminal case of mcconnell versus fec a facial challenge to the Mccain FeingoldCampaign Finance legislation. Where many of his arguments were eventually adopted by the Supreme Court and subsequent as applied challenges . There he focused on the long game. His efforts and sacrifice in pursuit of ensuring the protection of liberties enshrined in our First Amendment including speech religious liberty and the right to redress ones grievances would be more than enough for the history books. But there is more. Much much more but not too much more. He looks at the long game. The only thing longer is my introduction of him. Our speaker has been part. Of dozens and dozens and dozens and dozens of judicial confirmations including 17 Supreme Court nominations. Beginning with Justice Rehnquist elevation the chief justice which as we know was coupled with Justice Scalias confirmation. Not a bad start. And now and again consistent with his focus on the long game. The recent confirmation of every more recent confirmation of every current member of our Supreme Court his role in the three most recent confirmations as well known. But for him those would not have happened. His courage has been unmatched after the untimely death of justice scalia. Our keynote speakers said no to a hasty confirmation. It is too close to an election that will elect a new president. Then after the 2016 election, he led the senate through not only the confirmation from neil gorsuch and later Brett Kavanaugh and amy barrett. But ensured a Record Number of judicial confirmations including to our critical federal courts of appeal. 30 years ago Clarence Thomas became a member of the Supreme Court our keynote speaker voted invade in favor of that confirmation. Just as higher young law clerks and Justice Thomas is known to look for certain qualities in those clerks. A very long list of those law clerks are now federal judges on the circuits catches rouse strauss. Ho rushing eyed miller. On the District Courts pack hold my cell nichols on the tax court toro and the Armed Forces Court of appeals mags and hardy. According to a 2019 article in the atlantic Justice Thomas has had more of his former clerks nominated to federal judgeships under president trump. Did any other justice passed or present . And not to be outdone judges the par bush now bandian and walker where shall we say recommended to the white house to be judges by our keynote speaker . All those nominees were confirmed. Thanks to our keynote speaker. Let me pause on that for a minute 30 years after the confirmation of clarence, thomas. These Clarence Thomas law clerks would not be life tenured federal judges. By four our keynote speaker. Talk about the long game. In my lifetime there has not been a more consequential senator and in our countrys history. Well, his place is already secured. Ladies and gentlemen is my honor and privilege introduced to senator from kentucky Mitch Mcconnell. Well thank you, don. I deeply appreciate that overly generous introduction. And im thrilled to be here tonight. This is a remarkable occasion. Its an honor to be asked to be to be a part of it. I have to effect on as i said for a great introduction. And for the marvelous job. He did a selection. Many of them in the room here today. The confirmation process as we all know is challenging these days to put it mildly. And the only way we were able to prevail obviously was to have truly. Talented well qualified nominees and even with them. As you were called during the last administration. Almost all of these talented men and women were on party line road. Party line road this was not a period of collegial confirmations shall i say . Don was also an outstanding chairman of the federal election commission. And ranks right up there with boyd and gray, of course. As a terrific White House Council well, im here at second, massachusetts. I want to take a moment to applaud and congratulate. Okay cole james. Thank you for your service. And welcome Kevin Roberts as well. So look, id like your indulgence to begin tonight with something that is pretty rare for me. And perhaps a little out of character. A moment of personal vulnerability like the two men we are honoring this evening Justice Thomas and judge silverman. Im not known for being. Easily intimidated and yet i have to say delivering a keynote lecture on the legacy of a legal titan before this current crowd of genius lawyers after a full day of expert discussions it makes for something of an intimidating assignment. I mean look at it this way. What could i Mitch Mcconnell possibly know about a notable leader who is parsimonious with his public statements . Whose shuns the performative aspect of public life . And who is viewed as a boogeyman by the radical left what would i know about that . Like all of you, i to graduate from law school. But actually thats where our past diverge. Ive been fortunate to be in the presence of a number of talented lawyers over the years. Actually, none more talented than when i was young. And in a lowly staph position down at doj. At the time when Lawrence Silverman was Deputy Attorney general. Robert bork was a solicitor and nino scalia was head of the office of legal counsel. So for a while i got invited to the staff meetings, you know for a guy that i wouldnt recommend you go to to write a simple will. There there i was in the presence of all that legal genius. And extraordinary humor and so larry you got me off to a good start. And by the way, ironically larrys sister lives in louisville, kentucky. Been a long time friend of mine and as part of our football tailgating group. So congratulations larry on winning this award. A piece of trivia you may not know i did not. I did produce actually. One published leaders legal scholarship before i completely went in a different direction. It back in 1970. The outlets was the kentucky law journal. And at the wise old age of 28 i put pen to paper and published a lengthy article on the dry. Boring subject of how the us senate should evaluate nominations to the Supreme Court and whether at that time they had become too contentious. So thank god the subject has simmered way down since then, its just sort of been. Sort of been smooth sailing since back in 1970. Actually the linkage between the senate and the Supreme Court is a fascinating. Crucial and frankly slightly strange part of our Constitutional Order an institution of our federal government that is sacredly. Nonpolitical and another institution that is entirely an intentionally. Political come crashing together. During some periods. Advice and consent was a perfunctory almost sleepy processed other times senators adopted what we might call. A more assertive approach and in some of these latter cases the confirmation process becomes kind of a referendum on the very same principles and values. That the justices are meant to uphold. On the bench the presumption of innocence due process of law. We all know these subjects are constantly up for discussion. In the court but whats fascinating and disturbing is the frequency with which those very same principles . End up on trial across the street on the senate floor. I was a freshman senator when the far left ate robert bork alive. In 1987 id come to the senate with a highmounted perhaps. In retrospect rather naive view that id expressed in that earlier law journal article. The senate should stick to evaluating nominees competence and integrity. And let president select legal philosophy as they like. Thats what i thought back then. Well, it didnt take long for ted kennedy and friends permanently. Disagus me of that rather naive notion. I stood at my freshmans desk in the back row and explained that id be happy to play by the democrats in new rules. And make judicial philosophy assailantly assailant factor. Going forward lets just say history has a funny way of making people reap. What they sow in 1987 the far left taught the American People they should care. A lot about judicial philosophies in 2013 harry reid broke senate rules to change senate rules to set the threshold for confirmation at 51. I said at the time you may be sorry you did this. Neither of those moves played out as colleagues intended neither did the disgraceful firestorm that would visit upon Justice Thomas and jenny back in 1991. Im not going to dwell on that episode tonight. Theres no reason to we all know what the people behind the Smear Campaign revealed actually about themselves. But ill say this i was inspired then and im still inspired today by the courage. The resilience in the faith with Justice Thomas endured those months and emerged with an appetite for service. Still intact the very same grit that carried clarence through pinpoint. And savannah the same stubborn faithfulness that led him ultimately to keep faith. In both his church and his country even after they both let him down. In ugly ways as a young like man the same commitment to principle that compelled clarence to blaze and uncomfortable trail in washington. Disrupting everybodys expectations all these virtues proved necessary that summer and fall and all of them were on display. At every step in his journey Justice Thomas has provided living proof. As a wise man named myers anderson. Like to say old man cant is dead. He sure is and mr. Andersons grandson clarence. Helped bury him here you know, its even more impressive when you remember that his courageous and determined this courageous and determined person is also famously one of the most affable. Genial and unselfconscious people in all of washington in fact after watching Justice Thomas excel these 30 years. Im tempted to propose. A new standard here tonight. The senate should only confirm the kinds of men and women who when theyre dramatic. Final confirmation vote is taking place. Decided to turn off the tv and take a bath. We should only confirm people. Are happy or tailgating . Out of an rv then rubbing elbows at cocktail parties. Thats a standard i could get behind. Of course the campaign to intimidate and pressure this justice. Did not stop. Did not stop on the gavel fell. The next year to still fuming New York Times snared him as quote the youngest cruelest justice. The hectaring never lets up. But Justice Thomas does not break. Or been or bowel this is a particular quality. That i want to focus on. This core value of not blinking not bending not allowing his Judicial Office to be compromised by inappropriate bullying. From the political spear because im concerned that in our current climate judges all across america will need to study and internalize. This quality of Justice Thomas more than any other time. And living memory radical voices have a problem with Justice Thomas because he limits his job. To his Job Description its not about left or right. Its about our Constitutional Order itself. Every Justice Thomas opinion events of the clear understanding that while the role of the judge in our constitutional system is significant. And essential that role is not. Unbounded the farmers did not create these insulated unaccountable tribunals for judges to act like want to be legislators and make policy. Trust me having two legislative chambers. Planning neither neither should judge us behave like philosopher kings who think theyre charged with nudging americans into line with elite. Morality and furthermore and this is especially important in our current climate judges must not see themselves. As political strategists theyre not tough. With reasoning backwards from abstract impressions about what outcomes to nations supposedly needs. Or the courts public standing. Supposedly requires we need the rule of law. Not the rule of polls. The judiciary exists to resolve concrete cases and controversies by examining concrete facts. And applying concrete text. Thats why Justice Thomas. Unapologetically straightforward approach is so needed huge parts of washington exists to overcomplicate things that are simple but Justice Thomas has a special talent for dispensing with nonsense. Heres one example. By the year 2003 id been waging a lengthy political and legal battle against unconstitutional restrictions on the First Amendment that some people call Campaign Finance reform. We took the fight all the way to the Supreme Court and a case called mcconnell versus fec. Unfortunately, i lost but Justice Thomas descent made for one heck of a consolation prize. Hed simply fearlessly called it. Like he saw it. He blasted the unprecedented restrictions on the Free Exchange of ideas the heroic defense of the plain text. Of the First Amendment or take his jurisprudence on unborn life every time without fail Justice Thomas writes a separate concise opinion to cut through the 50year tangle of madeup tests and shifting standards and calmly reminds everybody that the whole house of cards lacks. A Constitutional Foundation here or look at race and equality. Im a huge fan of my fellow kentuckian Justice Shawn marshall harlan. The soul to center and plessy versus ferguson i would venture the Justice Thomas jewish prudence displays the clearest. Bravest most straightforwardly colorblind view of race in our constitution. Says harlan himself. He respects the 14th amendment enough to apply it was actually written a prime example of when it takes courage to let straightforward things be actually. Straightforward doing this work doing the actual job of judge is important and essential enough. Our judiciary has enough to do without reaching outside the constitution to grab other powers. But radical voices with an agenda to push do not have much patience. For this kind of restraint. Todays left is not content to settle for the outcomes that honest textual interpretations can supply. So my friend storm clouds are gathering on the horizon. The very concept of an independent and insulated judiciary is actually at stake. A year and a half ago the democratic leader and the senate grabbed a microphone. On the Supreme Court steps and threatened two justices by name if they did not rule away. That aligned with his views. On abortion half a year before that a whole group of Senate Democrats sent the justices. And amicus breathe that read like a letter out of the godfather. Senator whitehouse and his colleagues wrote and this is a direct quote. From a letter to the court the court is not well. And perhaps the court can heal itself before the public demands it be restructured. End quote these were sitting United States senators essentially saying nice independent judiciary youve got there. Sure would be a shame. If something happened to it. Or take this example. This is president bidens secretary of state. This week in ecuador giving a speech about democracy. I promise im not making this up. I didnt secretary of state this week making a speech. In ecuador about democracy he specifically mentioned undermining the independence of the courts. And packing courts as two signs that democracy itself is under attack. Lets hear it for the boden secretary of state. That was the edmund paying attention to whats going on in the rest of the administration. This was less than a week after the democrats pseudo academic Supreme Court commission. Try to laughably transparent move where they temporarily shelved temporarily shelved the idea of outright core packing. In order to make the equally shocking concept of eliminating life tenure appear to be like the moderate option. The moderate option well tony blanken flies to latin america to finger wag other nations about pressuring judges while his own boss. Tries the same trick right here at home. It would be perfect satire if it wasnt so crazy or scary. Again, this is not about conservative policy outcomes versus liberal ones. It runs much deeper. One of our countries two Major Political movements has decided they are fed up with trying to win the contest of ideas. Within the institutions the prime has left us. And would rather take aim at the institutions themselves. This is the reason why i was so excited to honor Justice Thomas in particular. This is why im so encouraged that this new award. Will bear his name. Because we need a federal judiciary full of men and women who are as bright as Justice Thomas. As expertly trained as Justice Thomas but most importantly most importantly as committed to total unflinching Judicial Independence as Justice Thomas an institutional as Justice Thomas in the truest sense of that word the future of our nation needs everybody who serves under article 3 to understand something that Justice Thomas knows better than anyone. Triangulating a moving target while bad actors move the goal post is a game. You lose before you even begin. It does not serve the rule of law to let the loudest angriest voices define the terms of a debate. And then try to invent. I halfway point. Hostage shakers never settle for half a loaf is only one valid response to these efforts to bully and partiality out of americas courtrooms. Give them no corner. Pay them no heed. We need jurors young and old whose only response to these blustering threats is to redouble their commitment to follow the law wherever it may lead. With no fear or favor we need a generation of judges who seek the same two things that Justice Thomas says he prayed for as you walked into his very first conference. With his eight new colleagues both the wisdom to know whats right. And the courage to do it. Your task may be challenging i get that but your oaths demand no less. Your country needs no less. And the good news, is that for 30 years and counting. You have had the brightest possible north star. Illuminating the path before you the courage and the fidelity of justice clarence, thomas here so may this happy occasion and this prestigious new award inspire other patriots to follow suit for decades to come. Congratulations to judge silverman. On this inaugural honor Justice Thomas. Congratulations on 30 years and thank you. And on behalf of all assembled at the risk of sounding greedy. Wed like 30 more years. Now Justice Thomas, there are no lights on the podium and now is the time for your rebuttal. Oh, thank you. Well, thank you senator mcconnell. The leaders too close to sort of central or Eastern Europe type thing but this has been this is truly an honor. Im not gonna go on long. You all have have had a long day and you know i convinced i tell my clerks often. Im tired of talking about me so they should talk about me and and i think they have been talking about me. So oh my goodness this it is. So embarrassing. I just the i i but i have to thank you all. I thank you for being here this evening. I know you have other things to do. I thank jen mascot whose idea this was and is simply delightful and as well as the grace center. Sure, theres a ton of hard work involved in this in details. And convincing people to participate but i also thank Heritage Foundation for hosting this and all the work that theyve done to make this all possible. And of course, id like to thank senator mcconnell for not only the work he has done that. That don spoke of but just being the gentleman he is and the courage that he has shown. Over the years and also for his friendship the only difficulties we have is that louisvilles Volleyball Team walked into lincoln and swept my cornhuskers the only salve on that wound is that your coach is from, nebraska . So the but id seriously i do thank you for all youve done. I also thank my friend judge silverman. Larry understates some of the things hes done. He did talk me into being a judge and for that. We will settle later on about that. I was minding my business. The but we have hes been a very very good friend and he was the one who gave me the best advice on being a judge. He said clarence. Before every case ask yourself. What is my role in this case as a judge . And that is the simple formula that i still use. Id like to also thank ambassador gray. He as well as judge soberman and some others conspired to get me onto the bench and to orchestrate some of the things that subsequently happened in my life, but the same time they were also those who stood to protect me and defend me. And you know i was dr. King who said that you dont think so much about the people who are against you. But you do think more about the silence of your friends. Well, i get to see the other side of it i get to see the courage of my friends. Those are the ones i like to focus on and of course judge soberman boyden gray and so many others who are here have been like that. I like to thank don mcgann for all of his work and for this evening. You did a point a lot of my kids. I always tell them be careful what you asked for things happen. But theyre good kids and its kind of interesting to see them on the bench. And to see so many of them making sure that we continue to have a republic that was promised us. Id also like to just point out that another one of my colleagues from the dc circuit this year that i admire greatly and that is a jim buckley. Um what an honorable man . I always think whenever i go in the basement of the dc circuit, i look for that red convertible that he always drove was always there was ubiquitous. See thats a big word. I learned that from the rogets thesaurus. But at any rate i did theres so many people here and im not gonna go through everybody there. I know so many people here and once i get started, itd be a roll call. I just theres so much i could say about all that so many of youve done but i appreciate you all. I appreciate pound panelists today and all the work and effort time you put into this. I appreciate my former clerks. I love my kids. The these are my kids they spend a year of their lives with me and they never get away. They im a were part of each others lives. The opposite downs the challenges the difficulties the joys. Theres their mind and i love being a part of their lives as does my wife. And Stephanie Coleman and we just had a big read another one of our one or two or three year reunions in West Virginia with 300 people. Oh what a blast then we have started taking our rv the ones who dont show up. We visit their houses. And their parents. Oh, yeah. What a hoot that is. The but i really love those kids and we love being a part of their lives and my fellow judges so many of whom are here and they are just a delight. Sudden their heroes of mine and once i start calling names, im going to leave somebody out, so im not going to call their names. They know who they are. I just delight in knowing them and admire them so much attempt to emulate them. And i think them for participating today. I have to admit. Im a little embarrassed. About all of this. This is i am a 100 introvert and this is very very challenging for me. But at the same time i am profoundly and eternally grateful. Um beyond all measure for you all and the fact that you would be here to do what youre doing today the fact that leader mcconnell would be here. In fact that judge silverman gordon gray my friends kay and charles. James who were among my prayer partners 30 years ago and who are just wonderful. And were very supportive in a very difficult time. Um, i could not have endured through the without almighty gods graces. The love of my bride, virginia and of course. She is the rock of my life. And i could not have done this without the courage of so many. Including countless people. I did not know. And still have never met. They were all angels in a very very dark time. To the extent that there are suggestions that i deserve some credit for these years. I respectfully demure. The mirror 30 years makes one stop and look back and reflect more with gratitude than with a sense of accomplishment. Any credit belongs first the president bush for appointing me . And sticking by me when others would have cut and run. Senator Jack Danforth who stood tall . When it was needed when he was needed and who was a friend and a counselor. And the father when he needed to be i appreciate the senators who voted for me. All 52 of them. Hey, thats all you need is 50. I also appreciate those who work tirelessly to get me confirmed and i mean tirelessly. Especially especially mark pale item mark is never retired. He has never stopped. I have given up on i dont even know what these dates are that im supposed to be celebrating. I have to ask mark. He remembers them. All mark is my archivist. And hes my brother. Id like to thank again my law clerks. Over 30 years plus of law clerks including the dc circuit. These are not employees. These are these kids are family. I love these young people. I love being some of them now are little older than i cant call them kids anymore, but i love these kids. And so many courageous friends who stood up when the Group Standing up was tough so many. Weve helped me over the years whove helped me stabilize after some beatings and who were there to comfort . Friends who gave us a place to heal when we couldnt go any place in the particularly in the 90s. Friends, who were then themselves attacked and yet they didnt run for cover and did not change. Id like to thank also my great colleagues particularly on that early court. Especially my buddy nino. And im not going to get in it too much because i get choked up but nino and i had not met before i got to the court. We met and i think we found out that even though we were from very different backgrounds. We thought alike. And we trusted each other. And for all more than a quarter of a century, we Work Together without seeing each other all that much. He would ask me things. He was really funny. He would ask me to go hunting with him. And he thought it was odd that someone from rural georgia would not go hunting and i said nino. Its really odd that someone from urban, new york in new jersey will go hunting. I said last i checked i left nothing in the woods. So you expect me to risk rattlesnake bites moccasin by age ticks fleas etc to kill some unassuming bird with a big gun. No. He invited me to. Go to the Kennedy Center with him because he likes hes the clarence you like Classical Music i said, oh i sure do. Is at camden Kennedy Center i said, oh, yeah, but i dont like people who like Classical Music. Oh gosh. I it is different without him. He is the one person i truly miss. At the court, but ive had wonderful wonderful colleagues there. Without the people whove helped me over the years and been there without you all who are here. Without gods grace without my wonderful bride whos always there. I would not be standing here. And i know that. Without my grandparents without the nuns we went to new jersey to celebrate this past weekend. I would not be here. There are so many. Of you who are the but for causation. Of my being here. So i thank you. I think all of you. From the bottom of my heart and i thank you all for this wonderful wonderful evening. It is a joy and absolute joy. To be able to stand here and celebrate this moment not because of me. But because of you all and what were trying to defend in this great country. Thank you very much. I would ask you all to remain seated for a couple of minutes while the justice is escorted out of the auditorium. But and you can go to far cry thank you. All for coming today has been a very special day for us and were delighted that you were able to be part of it. Enjoy the rest of your evening. Cspan. Org history. Hello. Welcome to another edition of at home