During his prime, Scalia was the most brilliant, articulate and witty Justice on the Court. His majority opinion in D.C. v. Heller (holding that individuals not connected to militias have a right to keep and bear arms) is a tour de force. Those who love freedom owe him a great debt. Justice Stevens' dissenting opinion in Heller agrees that originalism is the proper methodology and that the right is a pre-existing one, but Scalia puts Stevens to shame. Steven's opinion is embarrassing.
In recent years, Scalia had slipped. He has gotten snarky, off-point, and too involved in the culture wars. Like all the Justices, he seems to have gotten concerned with being a "celebrity." He wasn't as bad as some (e.g. Breyer) but it demeaned him in the eyes of many.
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