Alito vows to administer equal justice
U.S. Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito, facing tough questions about abortion, civil rights and the Bush administration’s domestic spying program, testified on Monday that if confirmed he would administer justice equally to all Americans.
“There is nothing that is more important for our republic than the rule of law,” Alito told the opening day of a U.S. Senate confirmation hearing on his nomination by President George W. Bush to the nation’s highest court.
Republicans hailed Alito as a top-notch federal appeals judge for the past 15 years who earlier served as a prosecutor and Reagan administration attorney.
But Democrats saw his nomination as highlighting their concerns about abuse of prisoners in Iraq and the administration’s recently disclosed domestic spying program. Democrats also voiced concerns about what they see as Alito’s support of excessively broad presidential powers.
Bush has nominated Alito, 55, to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, a moderate conservative who has often been the swing vote on the nine-member court on such issues as civil and abortion rights. Confirmation of the more conservative Alito could push the high court to the right for decades to come.
Source: Reuters
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