Reply #53: We SCREAMED about John Roberts to Harry Reid before that confirmation. [View All]

[seafan]

Reid: Roberts 'didn't tell us the truth'

March 27, 2009

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Friday that John Roberts misled the Senate during his confirmation hearings by pretending to be a moderate — and that the United States is now “stuck” with him as chief justice.

“Roberts didn’t tell us the truth. At least Alito told us who he was,” Reid said, referring to Samuel Alito, the second Supreme Court justice nominated by President George W. Bush. “But we’re stuck with those two young men, and we’ll try to change by having some moderates in the federal courts system as time goes on — I think that will happen.”

Reid’s comments, which came during a wide-ranging discussion hosted by the Christian Science Monitor, reflect Democratic concerns that Roberts presented himself as a neutral arbiter of the law but has wielded a relentlessly conservative agenda. Republicans reject the attacks, saying Roberts has been a fair judge and has been consistent in his opinions.

Although Reid said that Democrats will try to put moderates on the bench, he said he will not try to deny Republicans the right to filibuster nominees. ((:mad: :eyes: :puke: :crazy: :argh:))

.....

Oh, PLEASE, Senator. Have you conveniently forgotten how Bill Frist treated Democrats over the filibuster??


Hey, Senator Reid, as usual, you blew us off when we tried to tell you about the risks of confirming John Roberts.


REMINDER: John Roberts helped prepare case Bush v. Gore in 2000, July 27, 2005

Roberts had larger 2000 recount role

By MARC CAPUTO
Miami Herald

July 27, 2005


TALLAHASSEE - U.S. Supreme Court nominee John Roberts played a broader behind-the-scenes role for the Republican camp in the aftermath of the 2000 election than previously reported -- as legal consultant, lawsuit editor and prep coach for arguments before the nation's highest court, according to the man who drafted him for the job.

.....

Until now, Gov. Jeb Bush and others involved in the election dispute could recall almost nothing of Roberts' role, except for a half-hour meeting the governor had with Roberts. Cruz said Roberts was in Tallahassee helping the Bush camp for ''a week to 10 days,'' and that his help was important, though Cruz said it is difficult to remember specifics five years after the sleep-depriving frenetic pace of the 2000 recount.

.....

Soon after getting the call from Cruz, Roberts traveled from his Washington office at Hogan & Hartson to Tallahassee to lend advice and help polish legal briefs. Later, Roberts participated in a dress rehearsal to prepare the Bush legal team for the U.S. Supreme Court.
Cruz's account is the first to place Roberts firmly within the Bush vs. Gore battle, filling in substantial blanks in the memories of everyone from Bush's campaign lawyer, Ben Ginsberg, to the governor.

.....

Ted Olson, the lawyer who successfully argued George W. Bush's case before the U.S. Supreme Court, said Roberts helped, but couldn't recall what legal briefs, if any, Roberts reviewed. Olson said he was certain that Roberts participated in a ''moot court'' hearing to prep him for arguments before the high court in the first of two hearings.

''It was a conference room full of people and John was there. I had known him for 20 years by that point, and I highly respected his opinions,'' Olson said.

As documented in the old thread above, I sent this information to both Reid and Leahy immediately after it was published on July 27, 2005. Nothing but silence.


Anyone who would actively work against counting all the votes in a presidential election should be automatically disqualified from consideration as Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court. HOW DIFFICULT IS THAT??? This was a monstrous tragedy and Reid happily gave Bush what he wanted... a partisan hack heading the Supreme Court.


Senator Reid, you are not what we need as Senate Majority Leader. To stay in that position is an affront to the people who desperately need some LEADERSHIP from the Senate.

Whether you are whining about John Roberts now, nearly 4 years after you confirmed him, or griping about the pressure the ConservaDems are going to face when progressives really get cranked up to expose what they are doing to impede Obama's agenda for health care, education and energy legislation, you are perpetuating the damage that 30 years of Republican pillage and plunder have wrought.


Leave, Harry. Let a more capable Senator such as Barbara Boxer take over.


LEAVE. NOW.