Feingold puzzled by president's Supreme Court nomination

[sybylla]

He questions qualifications, stance of Miers
By CRAIG GILBERT
[e-mail]
Posted: Oct. 6, 2005
http://www.jsonline.com/news/nat/oct05/361409.asp

Washington - Wisconsin Democrat Russ Feingold, who supported the nomination of John Roberts to the Supreme Court, voiced serious questions Thursday about the qualifications and independence of President Bush's latest nominee, White House counsel Harriet Miers.

A member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Feingold said in an interview that he was "puzzled" by the choice. He said the selection of Miers raised at least two issues that were not present in the confirmation of Roberts, now chief justice of the United States.

"The president has chosen someone here about whom objectivity and independence is a very real question. He's selling this to the American people, saying, 'This is a person I know real well. You should trust me and trust her,' " Feingold said. "This is one of the president's closest confidantes."

Feingold suggested such a nomination was at odds with the founders' ideal of a judiciary independent from the executive. "This really is potentially an institutional question," Feingold said.

<snip>

He goes on to question her credentials. There's lots more here if you're interested in clicking the link.

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[mattclearing]

1. Interesting that Bush has overstepped even Feingold's broad definition

of executive discretion.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Yes he has

[leesa]

2. Hey, dummy, she's the same Fundie fascist as Roberts...go for it Feingold

Or has AIPAC not given you instructions yet.

[stray cat]

3. Feingold gets straight to the point and as usual he is right.

Appointing political buddies to the supreme court blatantly contradicts judiciary independence. It is almost the same as Bush appointing himself and it should be unconstitutional.