Who is Samuel Alito’s wife, Martha Bomgardner?
LAWYER Samuel Alito was appointed to the Supreme Court as an associate justice on January 31, 2006, by then-president George W Bush.
Samuel Alito's wife, Martha-Ann Bomgardner, is a Kentucky native and former law librarian, described as a "Renaissance person" by those closest to her.
Who is Samuel Alito's wife, Martha-Ann Bomgardner?
Little is known about Martha-Ann Bomgardner as she appears to protect her privacy, preferring to live a family life out of the spotlight.
Bomgardner was born in Kentucky and graduated from the University of Kentucky.
She was once a law librarian and met her future husband, Samuel, in the library as he would visit regularly as a law clerk.
They dated for a year before he got an offer from the US solicitor general and moved to Washington in August 1981.
Martha-Ann also worked at the US Attorney's Office.
She revealed in an interview with The Washington Post that her husband likes Beethoven and Springsteen, but she forces him to listen to Scarlatti and Bach.
She added that Alito is a great marksman.
While her net worth is unknown, reported her husband's net worth to be in the $10 million range, making him one of the wealthiest members of the Supreme Court.
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The duo have homes in Virginia and New Jersey and reportedly have an investment portfolio worth $5 million.
Bomgardner is described as an "extremely intelligent and well-read woman who orders restaurant meals in fluent French and recently took a philosophy class for intellectual stimulation," as reported in a 2006 profile.
"She's like a renaissance person," said Susan Engelman Volkert, an employment lawyer who has known Bomgardner for decades.
"She knows a little about music, a little about art. She's very active in sports and has been active in the community," she added.
When did Samuel Alito and Martha Bomgardner get married?
Samuel Alito and Bomgardner got married in 1985.
Before being nominated to the Supreme Court, Alito lived with his family in West Caldwell, New Jersey.
He graduated from Princeton University and Yale Law School.
Alito has a distinguished career.
He previously served as a law clerk for Leonard I. Garth of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit from 1976–1977.
Alito moved his way up the ranks and was appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in 1990 before he was nominated to the Supreme Court in the 2000s.
President Bush said at the time of the nomination: "He’s scholarly, fair-minded, and principled."
"These qualities will serve him well on the highest court in the land."
He added: "[His record] reveals a thoughtful judge who considers the legal merits carefully and applies the law in a principled fashion."
"He has a deep understanding of the proper role of judges in our society."
"He understands judges are to interpret the laws, not to impose their preferences or priorities on the people."
How many children does Samuel Alito have?
Samuel Alito and Martha-Ann Bomgardner have two children together.
The duo are the parents of a son, Philip, and a daughter, Laura.
Similar to his father, Philip is a lawyer with a career in politics.
He gained a bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia and was also educated at Duke University School of Law.
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Laura, meanwhile, attended Georgetown University, where she was an NCAA D1 athlete on the women's swimming team.
She is currently a freelance Communications Consultant.