Sen. Landrieu Statement on Confirmation of Chief Justice John Roberts

Sen. Landrieu Statement on Confirmation of Chief Justice John Roberts

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., released the following statement today regarding the vote on Chief Justice Nominee John G. Roberts.

Sen. Landrieu said:

"The confirmation of John Roberts as Chief Justice of the United States marks the culmination of an effort by our bipartisan group of Senators to maintain the best traditions of the Senate. Our focus has been confirming justices who place individual merit and argument above ideology. We have also asked the Senate to hold itself to this same standard when evaluating potential judicial nominees. My vote today was cast on John Roberts' superior qualifications, his appreciation for the role of a justice, and his expressed commitment to the rule of law and the Constitution. While his record of legal argument and opinion is not one that I would fully agree with, on balance, I believe that he is an appropriate choice to succeed Chief Justice Rehnquist.

"Next we must consider a successor to retiring Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Throughout 24 years of service, Justice O'Connor has demonstrated her commitment to law over politics. I implore the President to look to her as the model for his next nominee."

http://landrieu.senate.gov/~landrieu/releases/05/2005A07B31.html