Roberts deflects questions
U.S. judge won’t address torture, abortion, gays But high court nominee has two favourite movies
WASHINGTON— U. S. Supreme Court nominee John Roberts carefully picked his way through a second day of questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday, as Republicans challenged Democrats to support his all- but- certain confirmation as the 17th chief justice of the United States.
“ If people can’t vote for you, then I doubt that they can vote for any Republican nominee,” said Senator Orrin Hatch ( RUtah). Democrats seemed unswayed.
Senator Charles Schumer told Roberts he was “ cutting back a little on what you said yesterday,” referring to Roberts’ earlier statement that the Constitution provides a right to privacy. The New York Democrat made his charge after Roberts declined to cite any examples of disagreement with the opinions of Justice Clarence Thomas, a Republican appointee. Thomas has written there is no general right to privacy, a right often viewed as the underpinning of the right to abortion.
“ We are rolling the dice with you,” Senator Joseph Biden ( DDel.) told the 50- year- old appeals court judge, who turned aside questions on abortion, the right to die, the permissibility of torture — all issues he said might come before the court. Roberts fielded questions calmly, summoning descriptions of past cases from memory. His sense of humour was evident, even promising at one point that, if confirmed, he would not seek a pay raise “ next week.’’ GOP officials say they are confident of the support of all 10 Republican members of the committee when the roll is called next week, although it is possible all eight Democrats will oppose him.
Officials in both parties say Roberts is likely to receive votes from several Democrats when his nomination reaches the full Republican- dominated Senate. In numerous other cases during the day, the former Reagan administration lawyer politely but insistently declined to answer questions. He told Senator Russell Feingold ( D- Wis.) he would not discuss questions of discrimination against homosexuals, or offer an opinion on legal representation due certain prisoners held in the war against terror. He refused to be drawn into a discussion with Biden or fellow Democrat Dianne Feinstein of California, when the senators asked about a “ right to die.’’ Nor would he discuss particulars of a case that committee chairman Senator Arlen Specter cited in which the Supreme Court overturned a law Congress had passed.
Later, the Pennsylvania Republican told reporters Roberts had “ answered more questions than most. Nominees answer about as many questions as they think they have to to be confirmed.” Schumer disagreed. The New York Democrat told Roberts he had turned the hearing into a “ cone of silence.’’ But Roberts did admit his favourite movies are David Lean’s Doctor Zhivago
and Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest. Schumer had suggested that if he dared ask the nominee his favourite films, he would get a discussion of cinematography and why Casablanca is one of the greats. Instead, Roberts answered flat out, drawing laughter from the audience and senators alike.
Feinstein was unhappy that she had failed to elicit his views on end- of- life issues. “ I guess what has begun to concern me a little bit is Judge Roberts, the legal automaton, as opposed to Judge Roberts, the man.”