Remarks of Justice Alito: The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law Commencement

The text appears substantially as it was delivered on May 23, 2008. The Catholic University of America bestowed the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws upon Justice Alito before his remarks

Change in Continuity at the Office of Legal Counsel

The papers presented by Professors Kmiec and McGinnis have certainly contributed a great deal to an understanding of the Attorney General\u27s opinion-writing function and the role of the Office of Legal Counsel ( OLC ) in the performance of that function. There is much in their papers with which I fully agree and not too much with which I disagree. I think it is important, however, to say a bit about historical context, particularly since we have a. new administration in Washington and new leadership in the Department of Justice. To the extent that OLC has a distinctive outlook on legal questions, it is shaped by two forces: first, the interests of the executive branch as a continuing institution, and second, the views of the particular administration or the relevant administration oficials. Anyone who ignores either of these forces will be surprised by how OLC functions

Tuberculosis in seals caused by a novel member of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex: Mycobacterium pinnipedii sp. nov.

A comparison of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates from seals (pinnipeds) in Australia, Argentina, Uruguay, Great Britain and New Zealand was undertaken to determine their relationships to each other and their taxonomic position within the complex. Isolates from 30 cases of tuberculosis in six species of pinniped and seven related isolates were compared to representative and standard strains of the M. tuberculosis complex. The seal isolates could be distinguished from other members of the M. tuberculosis complex, including the recently defined ‘Mycobacterium canettii’ and ‘Mycobacterium caprae’, on the basis of host preference and phenotypic and genetic tests. Pinnipeds appear to be the natural host for this ‘seal bacillus’, although the organism is also pathogenic in guinea pigs, rabbits, humans, Brazilian tapir (Tapirus terrestris) and, possibly, cattle. Infection caused by the seal bacillus is predominantly associated with granulomatous lesions in the peripheral lymph nodes, lungs, pleura, spleen and peritoneum. Cases of disseminated disease have been found. As with other members of the M. tuberculosis complex, aerosols are the most likely route of transmission. The name Mycobacterium pinnipedii sp. nov. is proposed for this novel member of the M. tuberculosis ..