WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court rejected requests from news organizations Friday for live, televised coverage of this month’s historic arguments on President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul but agreed to release audio recordings of the proceedings on the same day.
The court will post audio files and transcripts on its website within two hours of the end of the proceedings on each of the three days set aside for argument, March 26-28.
The C-SPAN cable network said it would play back the arguments on a broadcast channel and on radio as soon as they are available.
The justices have never allowed cameras inside the courtroom and decided not to make an exception for the health care case, despite what the court called “extraordinary public interest.”
A statement issued by the court’s public information office and a letter from Chief Justice John Roberts to C-SPAN did not say anything about cameras or live coverage, even though many news organizations, including The Associated Press, and several members of Congress had asked the court to permit cameras into the courtroom to cover the proceedings.
One of the lawmakers, Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., called the decision on expedited audio a step forward but said he was disappointed that Americans will not be able to “witness these public proceedings as they happen.”
