RSSKennedy Wants to Know if Roberts is Stingy
On the first day of the hearings where the Senators on the Judicial Committee pontificated for 10 minutes each, very little occurred. All 21 Senators gave their impressions for the evening news back home, giving very little information or anything outside of the party lines.
The Republican Senators told Supreme Court Nominee John Roberts not to answer bad questions, ones that have been determined to set up land mines for the candidate, and make him go on record on topics that he should never be on record for.
The Democrats were faced with a candidate certain to face approval, so they worked on setting the tone that Roberts needed to answer all of their questions, and then made digs at the President. Over all it was quite boring.
Roberts made a great statement, including this quote.
My personal appreciation that I owe a great debt to others reinforces my view that a certain humility should characterize the judicial role. Judges and justices are servants of the law, not the other way around. Judges are like umpires. Umpires don’t make the rules; they apply them.
The role of an umpire and a judge is critical. They make sure everybody plays by the rules. But it is a limited role. Nobody ever went to a ball game to see the umpire.
However, the Esteemed Senator from Massachusetts, Ted Kennedy, did make a rambling statement which we have video of trying to portray John Roberts as stingy with the Constitution. See for yourself.
Hearings begin at Noon for the John Roberts Nomination
The hearings for John Roberts nomination to the position of Supreme Court Chief Justice are starting today at Noon. The committee is comprised of 10 Repulicans and 8 Democrats.
It is expected that the questioning will focus on abortion rights, voting rights and questions of balancing environmental protections against jobs and property development by the Democratic members of the committee, as these are hot button issues for the constituency.
The Democratic members of the committee include the more liberal members of the Democratic caucus including the likes of Charles Shumer, Ted Kennedy, and Patrick Leahy. This will be there chance to show the liberal interest groups that they have there best interests at heart for a nominee who is expected to pass the full senate’s vote quite easily.
If you are interested in watching the hearings on your computer, C-SPAN will have them available live.
Please Visit our Discussion forum to discuss the John Roberts Nomination.
John Roberts Confirmation Hearing Schedule
Here is the tentative schedule for John Roberts Confirmation Hearing.
Monday: The committee convenes at noon EDT. Senators give their opening statements of 10 minutes each. Sens. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., and Evan Bayh, D-Ind., as well as Sen. John Warner, R-Va., each spend up to five minutes introducing Roberts. Roberts gives his opening statement.
Tuesday: The committee convenes at 9:30 a.m. EDT. Senators begin questioning Roberts in rounds of 30 minutes each.
Wednesday: The committee convenes at 9:30 a.m. EDT. Senators begin questioning Roberts in a second round of 20 minutes each. Additional rounds for questions may be made available at senators’ request. At the end of questioning, the committee meets in closed session to discuss Roberts’ background report from the FBI Thursday: The committee convenes at 9:30 a.m. EDT. It is expected to begin hearing from other witnesses, including the American Bar Association on its “well qualified” rating of Roberts, and 30 others — 15 invited by Republicans and 15 invited by Democrats.
Sept. 20: The earlier date that the committee chairman, Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., plans to call for a vote. Other options being considered include Sept. 22 or Sept. 26.
Sept. 26: Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., says this is the latest date he expects to start final debate on Roberts’ nomination in the full Senate, with a final vote no later than Sept. 30.
Oct. 3: The Supreme Court begins its new term
Experts Ponder Roberts Influence on Supreme Court’s History
There is a conversation out there on the influence that John Roberts from a historical perspective. As potentially the second youngest Chief Justice, only John Marshall was younger, he has the opportunity to have a long and successful career in the Supreme Court.
The present court has been together for 10 years, a long time from a historical perspective. This cohesiveness has allowed strong bonds to forge, even between those who disagree ideologically. When John Roberts becomes Chief Justice, he will have to move slowly and develop his reputation gradually.
President Bush, will in the near future, put another Justice on the court to replace Sandra Day O’Connor. Odds are there will be another opening on the court in the next 3 years, so we have a period where the Bush legacy shall be felt for a long time on the Supreme Court. John Roberts will provide a strong cornerstone for the Supreme Court.
And yet there is more. Roberts will be able to influence much more than the 8 other Supreme Court Justices. The Chief Justice is the head of the whole Federal Court system.
As head of the federal judiciary, he will have administrative responsibility over 1,200 federal judges and a $5.43 billion budget.
Those responsibilities also include important appointive powers over judges who sit on courts such as the Alien Terrorist Removal Court, which can deport foreigners suspected of aiding terrorism, and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act court, which considers government requests for wire taps.
So there is a great deal at stake, and with the tea leaves showing that he will have a preponderance of Democrats voting for him, John Roberts has the chance to provide a long and deep legacy.
Update: Of course, some feel that because John Roberts had a privileged upbringing, this should disqualify him from the court. Good to see that the New York Times Book Review endorses means testing.
Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist; One Last Day In Court
The flags flew at half staff as “The Chief,” William H. Rehnquist in his flag draped coffin made one final trip down the long marble steps of the United States Supreme Court where he presided for nearly two decades. So many were present to pay their respects, his colleagues, staff and former law clerks, and so many more.
It was a journey that lasted only minutes, yet few gathered in the morning crowd outside the Supreme Court missed the most telling moments: when John G. Roberts Jr., the man nominated to succeed Rehnquist, walked solemnly with the other pallbearers toward the hearse bearing his body, and when an emotional Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, on the eve of her own planned farewell, wiped away tears as the plain white pine coffin passed and entered the building’s Great Hall.
“Rest here now, child of God, William Hubbs Rehnquist,” intoned the Rev. George W. Evans Jr., pastor of Lutheran Church of the Holy Redeemer in McLean, which Rehnquist attended for many years. “Rest here in the halls you know so well.” In those usually calm, reasoned halls — where Rehnquist had been known simply as “the Chief” since President Ronald Reagan elevated him to the post in 1986 — feelings flowed freely. Roberts, one of those former clerks, seemed to struggle to keep his composure. Justice Antonin Scalia brushed a tear from his eye.
William H. Rehnquist will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery after a funeral service at 2 p.m. today at St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Northwest Washington. God Bless you Chief Justice Rehnquist and may the peace of the Lord be with you.
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