Udall: Confirm Judge John Roberts As The Next Chief Justice Of The United States

9/21/2005

Udall: Confirm Judge John Roberts As The Next Chief Justice Of The United States

(Washington, DC) -- Congressman Mark Udall (D-Eldorado Springs) released the following statement regarding his support for Judge John Roberts to be the next United States Chief Justice:

"I would not give Judge Roberts a ringing endorsement, but I feel cautiously confident that he will be an effective Chief Justice. Normally I do not weigh in on judicial appointments because it is the duty of the U.S. Senate to confirm judges. But the debate about the future of the Supreme Court is important to the country and I feel a responsibility to make my views known.

"I watched the confirmation hearings of Judge Roberts with great interest and have concluded that he should be confirmed as the next U.S. Chief Justice. He is well qualified, has a sound legal mind, and possesses the temperament and the collegiality that would make him an effective chief justice.

"I am comforted by his statements about judicial precedent and the right to privacy in the U.S. Constitution. I'm sure I won't always agree with his opinions, but his admission that he is not an ideologue leads me to believe that he will work with the court to reach consensus on a number of issues that divide our country, and I am hopeful he won't use the bench to legislate a particular political philosophy.

"Judge Roberts may be the best nominee we can expect from this president. The person who President Bush nominates to replace Justice O'Connor will undoubtedly undergo greater scrutiny because he or she could change the direction of the court. That's a fight for another day, but until then the Senate should confirm John Roberts as the next chief justice."

http://markudall.house.gov/HoR/CO02/Newsroom/Press+Releases/2005/UDALL+CONFIRM+JUDGE+JOHN+ROBERTS+AS+THE+NEXT+CHIEF+JUSTICE+OF+THE+UNITED+STATES.htm