Mostly law professors | Sometimes contrarian | Often libertarian | Always independent
My 2013 book, Unprecedented, offered this vignette about how Chief Justice Roberts fled the United States to a safe refuge after the decided NFIB v. Sebelius.
asserted
Roberts → offer → Sebelius
The day after the Court's term concluded, he left the country to teach at a summer program for law students in Malta, organized in part by the South Texas College of Law, where I teach.
asserted
I → conclude → Law
Before he departed, Roberts joked that he was retreating to an "impregnable island fortress."
asserted
he → depart → fortress
Students found Roberts was in very good spirits, no doubt enjoying the respite from the pressure.
asserted
Roberts → find → pressure
I've often thought about this remark.
asserted
I → think → remark
Whether or not this criticism affects Roberts's decisions, he does not respond in kind.
asserted
he → affect → kind
He has given very few interviews, and when he speaks up, it is to defend the judiciary as a whole, and not him in particular.
asserted
it → give → whole
I don't know that Roberts has been back to Malta, but his regular "impregnable island fortress" is Hupper Island, a small island about 90 minutes from Portland, Maine.
asserted
fortress → know → Portland
I hadn't given much thought of this spot since Roberts had a seizure at his summer home in 2007.
asserted
Roberts → give → 2007
Since he joined the Court, Roberts and his family would seek solace from the swamp at Hupper Island after the Court dismisses for the term.
asserted
Court → join → term
But of late, despite the Chief's best efforts at steering a middle course, the people of Maine have been intent on making Roberts's life miserable.
asserted
life → steer → Maine
They protest outside his home on kayaks and accost him in public.
asserted
They → protest → public
Even his friends are shamed from attending events with the Roberts family.
asserted
friends → sham → family
What happens of Hupper Island stays on Hupper Island.
asserted
happens → happen → Island
Until the New York Times go to it.
asserted
Times → go → it
Jodi Kantor wrote a lengthy expose about how the neighbors feel.
asserted
neighbors → write → expose
She interviews a few of Roberts's friends and far more of his foes.
asserted
She → interview → foes
We learn nothing about the Court, or Roberts's decision.
asserted
We → learn → Court
Unlike the silly story about Martha Ann Alito's flags, there is no allegation that Roberts did anything wrong.
asserted
Roberts → be → anything
The sole effect, and indeed purpose, of this article, is to show how Roberts is alienated in his family summer home.
asserted
Roberts → show → home
We learn nothing about Roberts, but learn lots about the awful liberals of Hupper Island.
asserted
We → learn → Island
I fear this piece may make it impossible for Roberts to return in the future.
uncertain
Roberts → fear → future
To make things even worse, Kantor outs Roberts's daughter as a liberal.
asserted
Kantor → make → liberal
She has done nothing to put herself in the public eye.
asserted
She → do → eye
She had the audacity to defend her father, whom she loves.
asserted
she → have → whom
The Daily Beast blares, "Conservative Justice's Daughter Outs Herself as Secret Liberal."
asserted
Daughter → blare → Liberal
Becca Shaw Glaser--a columnist who urged neighbors to give the Chief the middle finger--outed Roberts's daughter.
asserted
who → urge → daughter
Even John Glover deserves a refuge from scoundrels like me.
asserted
Glover → deserve → me
The Aporia
