Text 17228, 73 rader
Skriven 2006-01-12 19:14:00 av Jeff Binkley (1:226/600)
Ärende: Alito
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http://today.reuters.com/news/newsarticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2006-
01-12T194327Z_01_KWA606962_RTRUKOC_0_US-COURT-ALITO.xml&rpc=22

Alito appears headed for confirmation
Thu Jan 12, 2006 2:43 PM ET 
  
By Thomas Ferraro and Joanne Kenen
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito seemed headed 
for Senate confirmation on Thursday after finishing more than 18 hours 
of testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee where he defended his 
record against skeptical Democrats.

Alito said if confirmed he would seek to emulate retiring Justice Sandra 
Day O'Connor's dedication and dignity, but declined to say if he would 
demonstrate the same centrist views.

While the full Republican-led Senate was expected to confirm Alito later 
this month, most Democrats were expected to oppose him.

"It is clear to me that Judge Alito should be confirmed to serve on the 
United States Supreme Court. And he will be confirmed," said Sen. John 
Cornyn, a Texas Republican.

A senior Democratic leadership aide conceded that President George W. 
Bush's 55-year-old conservative nominee appeared to have the votes.

Following three days of questioning of Alito, the Judiciary Committee 
was to hear from outside witnesses, including some of Alito's colleagues 
on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, as well as members of the 
American Bar Association that last week gave him its highest rating.

Alito would replace retiring Justice O'Connor, a moderate conservative 
who often has been the swing vote on hot-button issues as civil rights 
and abortion rights.

Democrats have been unsuccessful in securing a commitment from Alito 
that he would vote to uphold the landmark 1973 decision that legalized 
abortion -- another major issue since Alito opposed abortion while in 
the Reagan administration two decades ago.

Democrats also wrestled with Alito over his view of presidential powers, 
which they say is overly broad. Alito deflected questions about the 
legality of the administration's warrantless eavesdropping on Americans 
but did say no president was above the law.

While Alito was expected to be confirmed, the Senate vote will likely be 
closer than the 78-22 vote confirming U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts in 
September since Alito could shift the court's ideological balance.

Sen. Herb Kohl, a Wisconsin Democrat, told Alito that O'Connor has been 
viewed as "a person at the center of the court" and asked him if "you 
might turn out, in a general way, to be that kind of justice?" 

Alito praised O'Connor, the first woman on the high court, but said, "I 
am my own person, with whatever abilities I have and whatever 
limitations I have."

"And I think if anybody looks at my record on the court of appeals they 
can get an idea about the way I approach the work of being a judge," 
Alito said.

In his 15 years on the federal bench, critics have charged Alito is far 
more conservative than O'Connor but backers say he has a record as a 
fair-minded judge.

Chairman Arlen Specter, a Pennsylvania Republican, said an overnight 
search of records demanded by Democrats found no mention of Alito in a 
Princeton University alumni group that had opposed efforts to admit more 
women and minorities -- an ethical issue some Democrats hammered away at 
in earlier questioning.

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