Posted on 11/27/2006 4:17:49 PM PST by bd476
[JURIST] US Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) [official website; JURIST news archive], outgoing chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee [official website], has indicated that President Bush may have to nominate moderate judges to any future vacancies on the US Supreme Court [official website; JURIST news archive] following midterm elections that ceded control of Congress to the Democrats. Monday's Philadelphia Inquirer also quoted Specter as speculating that the Democrats, who formally take control in January, may restrict or even halt judicial confirmations until the 2008 presidential elections.
In related comments, Specter expressed hope that the lame-duck Congress will push through legislation [JURIST report] authorizing domestic surveillance [JURIST news archive] of suspected terrorists. Last week, Bush urged lawmakers [transcript] to pass the Terrorist Surveillance Act, which he called an "important priority in the war on terror."
The House version of the bill, which was passed in September [JURIST report], would allow warrantless surveillance for fixed periods following an "armed attack" or a "terrorist attack," or if the president perceives an "imminent threat of attack," with indefinite extensions pending congressional and court oversight.
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) [official website; JURIST news archive], who is expected to take over as Judiciary Committee chairman, has said that any legislation passed authorizing domestic surveillance of terrorists must contain "adequate checks and balances."
Philadelphia Inquirer
Specter: Bush nominees may be more moderate
By Steve Goldstein
Inquirer Washington Bureau
November 13, 2006
WASHINGTON - With the loss of a Republican majority and his chairmanship of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Arlen Specter (R., Pa.) said President Bush may be forced to nominate more moderate judges should other Supreme Court vacancies occur.
Specter, who will yield his gavel in early January to Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D., Vt.), said the Democrats might want to slow the process of judicial confirmations - or even halt them - as the next presidential election approaches in 2008.
"It could mean that the president would have to select a more moderate nominee," Specter said.
Justice John Paul Stevens will turn 86 in April, and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a cancer survivor.
Specter said he would "roll with the punch" the election delivered and defended his record in the two years of his chairmanship.
He said he hoped the lame-duck Congress would take up legislation he helped craft to allow judicial review of controversial wiretapping by the National Security Agency.
"Every day that goes by, there's an invasion of privacy without determination of legality," Specter said.
Specter said he was pushing ahead with plans to have FBI Director Robert Mueller testify before the committee Dec. 4 in an oversight hearing.
"I'm going to clutch the gavel tightly until 11:59 p.m. January 2," Specter vowed.
Specter: Bush nominees may be more moderate
But nice try to bring up a two week article that means nothing.
the President can play that game too. No legislation signed period, until the judicial nominations move forward.
"Specter says Bush must nominate moderate judges"
Or at least make sure they're up on Scottish Law. /sarc
bump
"Every day that goes by, there's an invasion of privacy without determination of legality," Specter said.
During this War on Terrorism . . . words simply fail me.
THAT is just about the funniest graphic I've ever seen!
LOL and well done! :)
So much for loyalty.
In a Pig's eye he does!!!!
Bush should have pushed this guy over a cliff when he had a chance two years ago in the primary. Cowardice is rarely rewarded in politics. In the short run it may be expedient, but even when it is, it soon comes back to bite you. In a way, the Prez is just getting what he asked for.
I think I probably stole from some fellow FReeper : )
hahahahahahaha
Seems to me that if you're suggesting this, then you don't fully believe that conservatism is right. "Well, maybe we're wrong, so let's put in moderates just to be safe."
Specter is also for surrendering this country to illegal aliens.
So addicted to and desirous of holding power, he failed to use it for fear it would slip away....
Thus becoming a total failure.
screw that has been
That's why the president backed him.
Regards.
Let's wait and see what happens. I opposed the RNC support of Specter in the primary, and I opposed his taking the chair of the Judiciary Committee.
He constantly comes out with pro-abort, liberal comments for the press.
But when it came to the confirmation process for Roberts and Alito, he did a good job and got them through.
So, let's wait and see what he does. I don't much care what he says, as long as he does the right thing. That remains to be seen.
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