Roberts confirmation hearings set to begin
The US Senate Judiciary Committee will begin its confirmation hearings Monday for John Roberts, nominated by President Bush to serve as the 17th Chief Justice of the United States in the wake of the death of Chief Justice William Rehnquist. The hearings will mark the first US Supreme Court confirmation hearing in 11 years since former President Bill Clinton’s successful nomination of Justice Stephen Breyer in 1994. If the nomination is successful, Roberts will begin work when the Court’s new term commences on October 3. Committee chairman Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) has said that Roberts should be prepared for questions on several hot topics, including his views on the precedential effects of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that legalized abortion. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), the panel’s highest ranking Democrat, has joined calls for increased scrutiny of the nomination, noting that the hearing “is the only opportunity for the American people to examine what kind of justice John Roberts will dispense if promoted to the Supreme Court.” Reuters has more. Monday’s hearing begins at 12 Noon ET; the Judiciary Committee offers a live webcast on its website.
