Newspaper article, The Kauffman-Henry Collection, Wall Street Journal
Sandra O’Connor unanimously voted to Supreme Court
WASHINGTON-The Senate unanimously approved the nomination of Arizona Appeals Court Judge Sandra O’Connor to the Supreme court. Mrs. O’Connor, who is scheduled to be sworn in Friday, will be the 102nd Justice of the high court and its first woman member. She will succeed Justice Potter Stewart, who retired. In more than four hours of debate, Senators largely praised the nomination. A handful raised questions about the extent to which Judge O’Connor opposes abortion. Sen. Jesse Helms (R., N.C.) said President Reagan assured him that Mrs. O’Connor is a foe of abortion. “I have no valid reason to believe Mrs. O’Connor would allow the President to be misled,” he said. Among the high court’s current members, Justices John Stevens and Harry Blackmun were approved unanimously by the Senate and Justices Byron White and William Brennan were confirmed on voice vote without recorded opposition. There were 26 voters against William Rehnquist, one against Lewis Powell, three against Chief Justice Warren Burger and 11 against Thurgood Marshall.
Newspaper mention, State Press ASU, The Kauffman-Henry Collection
Sandra Day O’Connor to be sworn in Friday
WASHINGTON (AP) -The Senate, ending an all-male tradition nearly two centuries old, unanimously confirmed Sandra Day O’Connor as an associate justice of the Supreme Court on Monday. Mrs. O’Connor, a 51-year-old Arizona state appeals judge, will be sworn in Friday as the 102nd associate justice in the 191-year history of the court , in time to join the court for the opening of its 1981-82.term on October 5. “Today is truly a historic occasion,” said Sen. Strom Thurmond, R-S.C., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, leading off a series of 22 speeches.
Newspaper article, Prescott Courier, The Kauffman-Henry Collection
O’Connor to be sworn in Friday afternoon
WASHINGTON (AP) -Sandra Day O’Connor, confirmed by a unanimous Senate as the first woman justice on the Supreme Court, promises to be “very busy, very fast” after she is sworn in later this week. There is no clear indication, however, how she will vote on social and constitutional issues that come before the court. The 51-year-old Arizona appeals judge won a 99-0 endorsement in the Senate on Monday as the 102nd justice in the 191-year history of the nation’s highest court. She will be youngest of the nine members. Mrs. O’Connor will be sworn in for her lifetime position in ceremonies Friday afternoon at the Supreme Court building. But because the ceremony will be conducted in the courtroom itself, the recording for posterity will be limited. “As is the court practice, there will be no TV, no photographs and no tape recordings,” court spokesman Barrett McGurn today said in a printed statement released today. Reporters and artists will be admitted to the ceremony, as they are for all court sessions. There will be no public admission, however, except by invitation. McGurn said official court photographers would be on hand but added, “I know of no plan to have any photograph taken in the courtroom.” Cruet Justice Warren E. Burger will administer Mrs. O’Connor’s oath of office, and White House officials said President Reagan may attend the Friday ceremony. “My hope is that 10 years from now, after I’ve been across the street and worked for a while, that they’ll all feel glad for the
Op ed, Phoenix Gazette, The Kauffman-Henry Collection
O’Connor: Is it eight of them against all of her?
WASHINGTON – Women across America should take a moment to celebrate the Senate’s confirmation of Sandra Day O’Connor to the Supreme Court. Appointments of women to the federal judiciary aren’t likely to be a recurring feature of the Reagan administration. Though the president has made history by appointing the 51-year-old Arizonan as the first woman to the High Court, he’s now under far greater pressure to nominate those of his own persuasion and sex. • Sandra O’Connor: Her appointment to the Supreme Court doesn’t let the ‘ Reagan administration off the hook. Among other radical changes in its first nine months, the Reagan administration has reshuffled the way federal judges are selected. Reagan has muted the importance given to women and minority appointments during the Carter years. It’s almost as if the Reagan staff took literally the new movie “First Monday in October.” Their actions echo the sentiments of actor Walter Matthau who, as a feisty liberal justice, displays his distaste that a woman is on the bench by telling a law clerk, “It’s eight of us against all of her.” So far, of the 12 new federal district and circuit judges nominated by Reagan, all are male; none are black or Hispanic. There are, of course, still about 60 judgeships to fill nationwide. A-411iurs., Sept. 24, 1981 CO 77,e Pboeaii Cazette But we’re not staying up nights waiting for women to get the nod. Here’s why: Traditionally, senators in the majority party have suggested candidates from their states
Newspaper article, Phoenix Gazette, The Kauffman-Henry Collection
Arizonans Proud of New Justice
Arizona’s Sandra Day O’Connor, with the Senate’s unanimous backing in her pocket, will tak~ ~e oath as America’s first woman Justice on the Supreme Court Friday. But the appellate judg~’s {?reparations for her hist.ory-makmg 111$tallation were interrupted today by a mission of personal sadness as _she returned to Phoenix from Washington’s celebratory mood to attend memorial services late today for her . mother-in-law. MEANWHILE, the White House announced President Reagan will attend the Friday investiture of Judge O’Connor. The president also will host a White House reception Thursday for 160 members of the federal judiciary and hold a private luncheon for Judge O’Connor and the justices of the Supreme Court. Here at home, the mood among friends and longtime associates was one of quiet pride in Judge O’Con- . nor’s confirmation. Surprise was not in evidence; most said they had expected the easy approval. JUDGE O’CONNOR won confirmation Monday on a 99-0 Senate vote. Only Montana Democrat Max Baucus, who supported her when her nomination was endorsed 17-0 by the Judiciary Committee, was absent from the floor. He was attending a meeting in his home state. Even Alabama Republican Jeremiah Denton, who had quizzed the judge on her abortion ~tan~e and abstained from the committee s vote, went along on the fmal confirmation . “Some colleagues said I’d be laughed out of the Senate if I voted against her,” he said. “I _kept w~ndering what would the president thmk of me what would my colleagues
To sit on Supreme Court: O’Connor takes oath of office
WASHINGTON – Sandra Day O’Connor raised her right hand and swore the oath of office today as the 102nd American – and the first woman – to sit on the Supreme Court.
Vowing to “do equal right to the poor and to the rich .” the former Arizona legislator and appeals court judge became .Justice O’Connor during a brief ceremony in the marble and mahogany courtroom of the nation’s highest court. President Reagan. who broke a 191-year tradition when he appointed Mrs. O’Connor to the lifetime position. was among the 500 guests who watched Chief Justice Warren E. Burger administer the oath of office. Also on hand was retired associate justice Potter Stewart, whom Mrs . O’Connor replaced. Two hours earlier, Mrs. O’Connor had …
Burger. who accompanied her. asked photographers . “You’ve never seen me with a better looking justice. have you?” …
:-,ne was dressed in the robe she wore as a state judge. “I’ll buy a new one eventually,” she said . ‘”They do get old. you know. The arms get all worn out.” Burger suggested Congress might be willing to appropriate funds for a new robe. Mrs. O’Connor, her arm held by Burger, posed with her parents. Harry and Ada Mae Dav : her husband . .John; and their three sons
Newspaper article, Prescott Courier, The Kauffman-Henry Collection
O’Connor sworn in as first female Supreme Court Justice
WASHINGTON (AP) – Sandra W.R JON Day O’Connor raised her right hand and swore the oath of office today as the 102nd American – and the first woman – to sit on the Supreme Court. Justice O’Connor, an Arizona appeals court judge before she was picked to become an associate justice of the nation’s highest court, promised to uphold the Constitution and “faithfully discharge the duties of my office.” Asked by Burger if she were ready to take her oath, Mrs. O’Connor replied in a steady voice: “I am.” With her right hand aloft and her left hand on a Bible, Mrs. O’Connor completed the oath flawlessly. Burger was the first to call her “Justice O’Connor” as he welcomed her to the court. President Reagan, who broke a 191-year, all-male tradition when he appointed Justice O’Connor to the lifetime job, was among more than 500 people present as Chief Justice Warren E. Burger administered the oath of office. The ceremony began as Mrs. O’Connor was ushered into the marble and mahogany courtroom and was seated before the bench in a chair used by Chief Justice John Marshall during his 1801- 1835 tenure. After taking the oath, Justice O’Connor was helped into her judicial robe and led to the seat traditionally occupied by the court’s most junior justice – to the far right of the bench as viewed from the courtroom. In a switch from the 1975 swearing-in of Justice John Paul Stevens, the oath administered in the courtroom to Mrs. O’Connor was one Stevens and at least two of his predecessors had