Supreme Injustice: How the High Court Hijacked Election 2000 - Hardcover

"This well-reasoned and controversial book asks central questions about American democracy and the role of citizens and courts in our society." --Library Journal "This well-reasoned and controversial book asks central questions about American democracy and the role of citizens and courts in our society." --Library Journal "This well-reasoned and controversial book asks central questions about American democracy and the role of citizens and courts in our society." --Library Journal "This well-reasoned and controversial book asks central questions about American democracy and the role of citizens and courts in our society." --Library Journal

Millions of Americans were baffled and outraged by the U.S. Supreme Court's role in ending the presidential election of 2000 with its controversial ruling in Bush v. Gore. The Court had held a unique place in our system of checks and balances, and was seen as the embodiment of fairness and principle precisely because it was perceived to be above the political fray. How could it issue decisions that reeked of partisan politics, and send to the White House a candidate who, for all it knew at the time, may have actually lost the election? In Supreme Injustice, bestselling author and legal expert Alan M. Dershowitz addresses these questions head-on, at last demystifying Bush v. Gore for those who are still angered by the court's decision but unclear about its meaning. Dershowitz - himself a former Supreme Court clerk - argues that in this case for the first time, the court's majority let its desire for a particular partisan outcome have priority over legal principles. As in his other bestselling books, Dershowitz clarifies complex legal issues, explaining concepts such as "equal protection" and "irreparable harm". Digging deeply into their earlier writings and rulings, Dershowitz proves beyond a reasonable doubt that the justices who gave George W. Bush the presidency contradicted their previous positions in order to do so. The most egregiously partisan ruling in Supreme Court history, Bush v. Gore has shattered the image of the Supreme Court as a fair and impartial arbiter of important national issues. The resulting loss of the American people's respect, Dershowitz concludes, has severely compromised the Court's role in national affairs. And yet Dershowitz sees some benefit emerging from this constitutional crisis - if we understand its lessons and take action to prevent it from happening again.