On September 20, 1986, the U.S. Senate confirmed William Rehnquist as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court by a vote of 65-33, and Antonin Scalia as an Associate Justice by a unanimous 98-0 vote.
This dual confirmation marked a pivotal moment in conservative history, solidifying a more originalist and conservative judicial philosophy on the nation’s highest court under President Ronald Reagan.
Rehnquist, previously an Associate Justice since 1972, and Scalia, a federal appeals judge known for his originalist approach, helped shift the Court’s balance toward conservative interpretations of the Constitution, influencing landmark decisions on issues like federalism, free speech, and regulatory power for decades.
Discussion about this post