Posted on 09/16/2005 11:15:31 AM PDT by 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.
C-Span is showing the hearings again this weekend. I will look for the comment. Do you remember who asked him (Sessions)?
Because he is a RINO running for reelection in NYC and the Anti-Life crowd run the Democratic Party.
I go back and forth, largely because I don't trust Bush a lot more than his daddy. Roberts worked with Rehnquist and has a Reagan pedigree. That's going to have to satisfy us. Plus it's fun watching the Democrats turn blue.
No I don't, sorry. Tho' I would be interested in hearing your opinion after seeing it, if you happen to catch it.
http://1010wins.com/topstories/local_story_260174058.html
Sep 17, 2005 5:38 pm US/Eastern
(1010 WINS) (NEW YORK) Campaigning for re-election in an unquestionably liberal city, Mayor Michael Bloomberg has broken with fellow Republicans, saying he opposes President Bush's pick for Chief Justice of the United States.
Bloomberg said he couldn't support nominee John G. Roberts because the judge had failed to clearly indicate during his Senate confirmation hearings whether he accepts the Roe v. Wade abortion ruling as "settled law."
"What I was waiting for, as were many Americans, was a clear affirmation that the life-altering decision as to whether or not to have a child must be a woman's decision," Bloomberg said in a statement distributed to reporters on Friday.
"Unfortunately, Judge Roberts' response did not indicate a commitment to protect a woman's right to choose."
Roberts sidestepped questions about both his personal and legal views on abortion during three days of testimony this week before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
When questioned about Roe v. Wade, Roberts said the 1973 ruling legalizing abortion was "entitled to respect" as a court precedent, but declined to say how he might vote if given the opportunity to reverse the landmark decision.
Many Republicans have defended Roberts' refusal to directly answer questions about important legal issues, saying it would be inappropriate for him to talk about some issues that might later come before him as a judge.
Bloomberg said he had hoped to hear Roberts make at least a "simple affirmation of Roe v. Wade, a decision which has had a long-lasting, profound impact in improving women's health and lives."
"There can be no turning back and for that reason I oppose the nomination of Judge Roberts as chief justice."
The mayor's announcement is unlikely to influence Roberts' nomination, which has yet to be substantially challenged in the Senate.
It may, however, aid Bloomberg's re-election campaign.
Democrats vastly outnumber Republicans in New York, and Bloomberg who left the Democratic Party four years ago to run for mayor will need large numbers of them to cross party lines if he is to win a second term this November.
His likely opponent is Fernando Ferrer, a former Bronx borough president who claimed about 40 percent of the vote in Tuesday's Democratic primary.
ping
Harvesting Fetal Body Parts
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