Lee & Lee on Alito

Alito's bio notes that he was assistant to Solicitor General Rex E. Lee. Lee was a highly respected lawyer and former President of Brigham Young University before he passed away in 1996. I believe that Rex Lee still holds the record of most cases argued before the Supreme Court (59) (at least he held that distinction while he was alive).

I've known Lee family for a number of years. Rex's son Mike Lee and I went to school together at BYU in 1996. Mike is currently the General Counsel to Utah Gov. Huntsman. I asked Mike for a statement for the Legacy Network newsletter and he passed this along. If anyone would have a good inside line to Alito it would be Mike who clerked for him from 1998 to 99:

It is difficult to imagine a better-qualified nominee for the United States Supreme Court. In addition to being an exceptionally kind and decent human being, Judge Alito is an accomplished jurist known for his unrivaled academic credentials, his impressive, fifteen-year record as an appellate judge, and his undeviating devotion to the rule of law. If confirmed by the Senate, he will go down in history as one of the most outstanding jurists of our time.

Mike Lee served as a law clerk to Judge Alito - who currently serves on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit - from 1998 to 1999.

UPDATE: Mike Lee will be on the Hugh Hewitt show tonight at 7:00 EST