Bush To Name John Roberts To Replace O’Connor
Bush To Name John Roberts To Replace O’Connor
WASHINGTON (CNN) — President Bush will select U.S. Circuit Judge John Roberts Jr. to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O’Connor on the nation’s highest court, CNN has learned.
Two sources, including a Senate Judiciary Committee source, said Roberts will be Bush’s choice when the president makes a formal announcement in a nationwide address at 9 p.m. ET.
Roberts, who serves on U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, took the bench in 2003 after his confirmation was held up for months by Senate Democrats.
From 1982 to 1986, he worked in the White House counsel’s office, then at Hogan & Hartson law firm, and from 1989 to 1993 was the principal deputy solicitor general for the U.S. Department of Justice.
Roberts, 50, also clerked in 1980 and 1981 for Justice William Rehnquist before he was elevated to chief justice.
Roberts has argued 33 cases before the high court. He is considered by some a brilliant appellate lawyer who has impressed many in his work so far as a judge. He is a 1979 graduate of Harvard’s Law School.
Two prominent liberal advocacy groups — NARAL Pro-Choice America and the Alliance for Justice — opposed Roberts’ nomination because of the positions he argued as an advocate for the Reagan and first Bush administrations.
I haven’t even read the article yet, and thus don’t have anything witty or insightful to add. But I figured I’d get something up quick to keep everyone informed. I’ll look it over later and give some commentary.
July 19th, 2005 at 9:08 pm
Another far right wing nominee. He appears to be in the Scalia mold, only a bit less vocal about it. Maybe comparable to Thomas.
Well, Republican Senator Specter suggested Bush pick a more moderate justice. Oh well.
NOT a good pick for youth rights
July 20th, 2005 at 4:51 am
He appears conservative because he made his name as a hired gun for the Reagan and first Bush administrations. Hard to tell what he really thinks.
July 20th, 2005 at 8:56 pm
He can’t be conservative and for youth rights? That’s not a very open-minded statement to make. I don’t know any more about him than what Alex has posted, but I see nothing there to say he’s a threat to youth.
July 20th, 2005 at 9:46 pm
He seems to be more moderate and open-minded than Scalia. But again, I really don’t have any more to go on than anyone else. He definitely seems like much of an unknown politically despite having extensive experience. He seems undoubtably qualified. How he will rule is up in the air.
Though I suppose we should be appointing people based on their qualifications and not ideological litmus tests. So perhaps he is a good nominee precisely because we don’t know how he’d rule.