Roberts hearings end
The US Senate Judiciary Committee concluded its four days of confirmation hearings for Chief Justice nominee John Roberts late Thursday, with closing remarks [SCOTUSblog report] from committee chairman Arlen Specter (R-PA) and ranking Democrat Pat Leahy (D-VT). Following the conclusion of Roberts’ own testimony earlier in the day, the committee heard from a wide range of other witnesses on the nomination, including Stephen Tober, chairman of the ABA’s standing committee on the federal judiciary. The American Bar Association had previously rated Roberts as “well qualified”, its top grade, upon his nomination as associate justice. Tober testified that the ABA rated Roberts as “well qualified” for the position of Chief Justice, saying the ABA is “fully satisfied” that “Judge Roberts meets the highest standards required for service on the United States Supreme Court as its Chief Justice.”
