Leahy criticizes Supreme Court rulings

WASHINGTON, June 11 (UPI) -- U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., criticized the U.S. Supreme Court Wednesday, accusing it of protecting corporations rather than ordinary citizens.

Leahy, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said at a committee hearing that the nation's highest court has sided with industry and corporate interests at the expense of workers and consumers, Legal Newsline reported.

"In this worsening economy, mothers and fathers are struggling with healthcare coverage, the uncertainty of retirement, credit card payments and mortgages," said Leahy.

"Congress has passed laws to protect Americans in these areas, but in many cases, the Supreme Court has ignored the intent of Congress in passing these measures, oftentimes turning these laws on their heads, and making them protections for big business rather than for ordinary citizens," he added.

U.C. Berkeley Law School Professor Jesse Choper said there is "some basis" for Leahy's remarks.

Since U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor retired in 2005 and Samuel Alito was appointed, there has been a tendency on the court to be more "conservative" in their rulings, Choper said.

Whether it's for good or ill that the high court has been ruing on the side of businesses is "in the eye of the beholder," he said.