Posted on 01/20/2006 8:17:40 PM PST by nwrep
WASHINGTON (AP) — Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden said Friday he will oppose Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito, saying he is not convinced that Alito will bring an impartial viewpoint to the court.
Wyden, a Democrat, met with Alito on Wednesday and talked about executive power, legal precedents and abortion rights.
“I cannot reconcile the seemingly moderate and amiable jurist of the past few weeks” with Alito’s two-decade record as a federal appeals court judge and official in the Reagan and Bush administrations, Wyden said Friday.
“It is my conclusion that Judge Alito’s record portends a view on the power of the president that would undermine our proven and constitutionally-mandated system of checks and balances,” Wyden said.
“His record demonstrates a dangerous and narrow interpretation of the commerce clause (of the Constitution), which could lead to results that would threaten the health and safety of all Americans.”
Wyden also criticized Alito for “standing with large, corporate polluters who fouled our air, poisoned our waters, and then don’t want to pay for it.”
Wyden is the latest among a growing number of Democrats who say they will oppose Alito, a veteran appeals court judge from New Jersey. Wyden voted for Chief Justice John Roberts last fall.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote Tuesday on Alito’s nomination to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, with the full Senate voting after that. Alito is widely expected to be confirmed by the Republican-controlled chamber.
Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore., has said he expects to vote for Alito, calling him “supremely qualified.”
The bar has been moved from a question of qualifications to a question of politics.
The Democrats are doing everything in their power to redefine this republic.
This is not about Altio. It's all about "O'Connor's seat" and their crazy base. There is no difference between Roberts and Alito. If Roberts came second Wyden would have voted against him.
Politicians from Oregon oppose Alito? Wow - who would have guessed?
Even though the vote will probably be along party lines I can already see the next headline: "Alito Wins Amid Republican Partisanship".
...and the sub-head will no doubt be, "Women, Poor, Minorities to Suffer Most"
I would have been SHOCKED if he had come out in favor of Alito....
In related news...I saw Greta interview Osama Obama tonight...and I won't even get into his inept rhetoric about Iraq...
but, when asked about Alito...he said that he wasn't "impressed with is decisions"...and when Greta asked if he meant "judicial decisions".. it seemed like Obama was searching his memory banks of dem talking points...to figure out how to answer...
He then said...yes, his decisions..and she asked if he had READ them...and he said he has been busy going to Iraq and all...but, the ones he has read have not impressed him...
LOLOL
Wyden, I believe, is the dumbest member of the senate. The people of Oregon should be proud to have elected such a lightweight as their senator. The man has never had an original thought.
What about the Taney seat?
Well, I certainly didn't vote for him.
I wonder how the Black Ops investigation is going? He was a target in that one.
"Wyden, I believe, is the dumbest member of the senate."
Stabenow (D, MI) would be in that ballpark as well. Her one good quality (said by her GOP constituent) is that her office does return phone calls and help out if they can. This contrasts with Levin, who is too busy being a political hack to help anyone out anymore (unless there are points to be scored).
Stabenow looks bad in front of a camera (or in front of you in a Walmart checkout line, for that matter), is not well-spoken, and would be lost if she couldn't memorize talking points.
I see this as no different than the Radical left on Election Day 2004, when they successfully skewed the exit polling and had Kerry leading in almost every State.
These Morons on the far left are incapable of comprehending how much harm they are doing to their Party with this pattern of character assassination on anything or anyone connecting to President Bush
Based on past performance by this jerk...
I'd have to ask WHO told him to oppose Alito - and why?
This clown couldn't find his own ass in the dark, with a flashlight and a roll of toilet paper...
Semper Fi
What do FReepers think the odds on a filibuster are now? Sounds more and more to me like the RATS are headed that way.
Republicans who matter: Chafee, Snowe and Collins.
Democrats who matter: Pryor, Dorgan, Conrad, Lieberman, Byrd, Landrieu and Lincoln.
If no republican has announced opposition yet, than the democrats aren't going to win. If Alito was that bad, Chafee would certainly already be opposed. It takes 51 votes to confirm and we have 55 republicans plus 1 democrat (Ben Nelson), that's 56 votes. Which six republicans are the democrats going to get now? We are the majority, they have to chip away at our ranks, not the other way around.
Well it's hard for him to find his ass with his head stuck up in it.
And for the next thirty to forty years the libs can eat that for lunch each day, HAHAHA.
Prexactly!
Semper Fi
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