Bloomberg opposes Bush high-court pick

Yahoo.com ^ | Sept. 16, 2005

[alessandrofiaschi]

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Friday opposed John Roberts' nomination to be U.S. Supreme Court chief justice, making him the first noted Republican to break with the Bush administration over who should lead America's top court.

Bloomberg, a former Democrat seeking re-election in a heavily Democratic city, said Roberts had failed to show a commitment to upholding the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision establishing a right to abortion.

"I am unconvinced that Judge Roberts accepts the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling as settled law," Bloomberg said.

Roberts' answers to questions in Senate confirmation hearings "did not indicate a commitment to protect a woman's right to choose," he said. "For that reason I oppose the nomination of Judge Roberts as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court."

While Bloomberg's statement is unusual from a Republican, the mayor has no standing over whether Roberts will be confirmed by the U.S. Senate as chief justice.

Bloomberg, who became a billionaire by building the media company named after him, is ahead in polls in the New York mayoral race ahead of November's election here.

Like many Republicans in New York, Bloomberg has long been a liberal on social issues and has been unafraid to publicly break with U.S. President George W. Bush.

[justshutupandtakeit]

You post an article claiming that Roberts is not sufficiently in awe of RvW say you agree with the opinion then claim Roberts will NOT strike down RvW. WtF is that supposed to mean?

[TheDon]

I can't believe he's going to vote against his own president on the confirmation!

[Rumierules]

Renquist was a true originalist.
___________________________________

What did Rehnquist say about stare decis?

[Constitution Day]

I don't give a damn what he thinks.

The Constitution doesn't either.

[TheClintons-STILLAnti-American]

"Rudy endorsed clinton in 1996."

I don't endorse Rudy's views in many areas, but he was never the pandering finger-pointer I hear Bloomberg sounding like all the time.

[msnimje]

Since his appointment, I wrote that he was more similar to Kennedy than to Scalia or Thomas FROM SLATE:

"Roberts' other moment of self-revelation came thanks to a prompt from Sen. Jon Kyl, Republican of Arizona, about the proper role of foreign law in interpreting the U.S. Constitution. This is a live issue that will come before the Roberts Court. Taking a position on it doesn't involve saying how a judge would decide a particular case, but it says something significant about the judge's approach to reasoning. It's also a big fat political hot potato. This spring, in his majority opinion banning juvenile execution, Justice Anthony Kennedy referred to the court decisions and practices of other countries. He pointed out that nobody except the United States and Somalia was still killing people for crimes they'd committed as kids. The far-right ginned up the impeach Tony Kennedy movement in response.

If Roberts had been playing his usual don't-box-me-in game, he would have punted on Kyl's question. Instead he strongly stated his "concern" about the "use of foreign law as precedent." Roberts said, "If we're relying on a decision from a German judge about what our Constitution means, no president accountable to the people appointed that judge and no Senate accountable to the people confirmed that judge. And yet he's playing a role in shaping the law that binds the people in this country. The other part of it that would concern me is that, relying on foreign precedent doesn't confine judges. … Foreign law, you can find anything you want. If you don't find it in the decisions of France or Italy, it's in the decisions of Somalia or Japan or Indonesia or wherever."

This position is chiefly associated with Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas; in the juvenile execution case, Chief Justice William Rehnquist signed on to it as well. The other six members of the court voiced strong support for using foreign decisions—not as commands by any means, but as sources of possible wisdom. Judges can cite anything they want. What's less democratic about giving a nod to a foreign judge than to William Shakespeare? As long as judges are clear about the limited weight they're giving to foreign law—as they've so far bent over backward to do—scanning the globe for a new idea, or empirical evidence to support an old one, seems pretty common-sensical. "

[isrul]

"the mayor has no standing over whether Roberts will be confirmed by the U.S. Senate as chief justice. "

So why would anyone anywhere care what he says?

[green iguana]

What has Roberts done or said that makes you have doubts about him?

He seems to agree w/ Kelo. That makes him suspect to me...

[Clemenza]

Why does a zip in Italia care about our Supreme Court Justices?

[Clemenza]

Appy, did you read the full article? Bloomingidiot is against Roberts because he won't uphold Roe V. Wade.

[conservative blonde]

Roberts opposed abortion laws by adopting two children.

[admiralsn]

Bloomy is a democrat, plain and simple. He likes the company of Republicans more than democrats, which is why he chose out party. Poort thing has no choice but to make statements like these if he has any hope of winning in NYC. It is ashame that NYC along with much of the left coast is so heavily populated with morons.

[AppyPappy]

"I am unconvinced that Judge Roberts accepts the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling as settled law," Bloomberg said.

That's what I support Roberts.

[msnimje]

What has Roberts done or said that makes you have doubts about him? He seems to agree w/ Kelo. That makes him suspect to me...

Judge Roberts?? You can't just throw a ridiculous claim like that out there. What is your source?

[rmlew]

1.Bloomberg is not a Republican. He is a lifelong Democrat who purcahsed the nomination in 2001 and 2005. Now that it is secure, he is reverting to form.
2. If Roe v Wade were to be overturned, it would have no practical effect in New York City as NY State allows abortion in most cases.

[syriacus]

"I am unconvinced that Judge Roberts accepts the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling as settled law," Bloomberg said.

So become a judge, yourself, Mayor Bloomberg.

[syriacus]

Bloomberg is saying, "Oh, Woe,
Judge Roberts might overturn Roe."
The Boston-born mayor,
Is a pushy nay-sayer,
My opinion of him's at a low.

[green iguana]

My source is his testimony to the Senate committee. To me, it sounded like he considered Kelo settled law, and that it's up to State's legislators to do something about it. (And good luck w/ that BTW...) Maybe I missed something.

[msnimje]

My source is his testimony to the Senate committee. To me, it sounded like he considered Kelo settled law, and that it's up to State's legislators to do something about it. (And good luck w/ that BTW...) Maybe I missed something.

KELO is NOT settled law.

It is a brand new, hot off the presses Supreme Court Decision. It is precisely these kinds of decisions that can be overturned easily. It is the opposite of "settled" because most American's are dead set against it making it "unsettled."

What he said was, it is easy enough to fix because the SC decision left it up to the states and all they have to do is pass a law saying it is ILLEGAL in their states and it will be.
Several states are already well into the process of doing this very thing.

[Republican Wildcat]

And his opinion on this matters because? Are Supreme Court picks an issue in a mayor's race?