The Supreme Court says it won’t hear Rep. Jim McDermott’s appeal of

Published 8:00 am Monday, December 3, 2007

The Supreme Court says it won’t hear Rep. Jim McDermott’s appeal of the case brought by House Minority Leader John Boehner that involved the taping of a 1996 phone call and the subsequent leaking of its contents– a discussion of how to respond to ethics charges against then House Speaker Newt Gingrich– to newspaper reporters. (A D.C. appeals court ruled 5-4 in Boehner?s favor in May.) McDermott, in a statement released this morning, says he knew the odds were against him since the Supreme Court accepts so few cases. “Nonetheless, I thought that the constitutional principles presented– the First Amendment protection of truthful speech and the separation of powers doctrine– warranted the Court’s attention. I pursued this case based on my belief in the people?s right to know, and I continue to believe it was my sworn responsibility to vigorously defend that right.? McDermott must now pay $60,000 in damages and more than $800,000 in legal fees to Boehner.