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September 20, 2005
Specter to vote ‘yes’ on Roberts
Sen. Arlen Specter, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and an abortion rights supporter, declared Monday that he will vote for John Roberts to be confirmed as chief justice of the United States.
Specter, a moderate Pennsylvania Republican, said that while Roberts never endorsed Roe vs. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision protecting the right to abortion, the nominee at his confirmation hearings supported the constitutional right to privacy that underlies Roe and emphasized respect for the Roe precedent and others that reaffirmed it.
One of the few Republicans ever considered -- however remotely -- a possible "no" vote on Roberts, Specter's move leaves the eight committee Democrats with a difficult choice.
They must decide whether to oppose Roberts, at the risk of weakening their position on the next Supreme Court vacancy -- one that matters most to them -- for the pivotal seat left by retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.
Specter, a moderate Pennsylvania Republican, said that while Roberts never endorsed Roe vs. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision protecting the right to abortion, the nominee at his confirmation hearings supported the constitutional right to privacy that underlies Roe and emphasized respect for the Roe precedent and others that reaffirmed it.
One of the few Republicans ever considered -- however remotely -- a possible "no" vote on Roberts, Specter's move leaves the eight committee Democrats with a difficult choice.
They must decide whether to oppose Roberts, at the risk of weakening their position on the next Supreme Court vacancy -- one that matters most to them -- for the pivotal seat left by retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.
Seems like an easy decision to me...a resounding ‘hells no’.
Posted by Jessica at September 20, 2005 11:10 AM
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