Senate Dems Call For Open Questioning of Roberts

John Roberts' opening statement came after the 18 members of the Senate Judiciary Committee - 10 Republicans and 8 Democrats - delivered their opening statements.

While lawmakers from both sides of the aisle praised Roberts' credentials, Democrats challenged his commitment to civil rights and women's rights. They cited documents stemming from Roberts' work as a government lawyer under Presidents Reagan and George HW Bush.

Democrats repeatedly said all questions were fair game. They promised to use the nearly weeklong hearings to ask Roberts about a number of issues including abortion, civil rights and the powers of the presidency and Congress.

* Sen. Joseph Biden (D - Delaware)

While Democrats asserted that all questions during the hearing were fair game, Republicans used the opening day to encourage Roberts not to answer questions about his views on controversial topics.

* Sen. Lindsey Graham (R - South Carolina)

President Bush nominated Roberts despite pressure from Republicans and even from his own wife, Laura Bush, that he should name a woman following the retirement of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor who was considered a swing vote on the closely divided court.

Roberts is a solidly conservative Republican and has come under criticism for his work and views on abortion. Many Democrats said they intended to question Judge Roberts on his views of "the right to privacy," the basis for the Roe v. Wade ruling legalizing abortion, which he once seemed to dismiss as a "so called right." At Monday's hearing, it was Senator Dianne Feinstein of California who made the strongest comments of the day on reproductive rights.

* Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D - Louisiana)

LISTEN ONLINE (And read transcript)
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/09/13/1354206


Roberts at High Court Confirmation Hearing: "I Have No Agenda"

The Senate opened confirmation hearings Monday for John Roberts to become the nation's 17th chief justice. If confirmed, Roberts would be the youngest chief justice in two centuries and would be positioned to lead the court for decades. We play Roberts' opening remarks.
---

The Senate opened confirmation hearings Monday for John Roberts to become the nation's 17th chief justice. If confirmed, Roberts would be the youngest chief justice in two centuries. And he would be positioned to lead the court for decades.

A federal appeals court judge for the past two years, Roberts served in the Republican administrations of President Ronald Reagan and the first President George Bush.

Monday's hearing was devoted solely to opening statements -- from the 18 eighteen members on the Senate Judiciary Committee, the three senators chosen to introduce Roberts and from the nominee himself.

As the afternoon came to a close, Roberts was sworn in by committee chair Arlen Specter. Speaking without notes, Roberts gave a brief opening statement in which he outlined his view of the judiciary.

* John Roberts, chief justice nominee.

LISTEN ONLINE (and read transcript)
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/09/13/1354200