Bu$h: SCOTUS 2.0...?

Hey, here's a novel idea, let's nominate ajudge to be a Supreme Court Justice!

Don't buy into to the smiling mug, this one is a true legal predator. Beware, be wary. . .

--ryan



Bush 'Picks Judge For Top Court'
President George W Bush will nominate federal appeals court judge Samuel Alito to the US Supreme Court on Monday, US media reports say.

Mr Alito has a long judicial record and is seen as a staunch conservative.

Mr Bush's first choice, Harriet Miers, withdrew following opposition from both Democrats and conservative Republicans.

The new nomination comes at a tense time for the White House, with a senior aide to the vice-president having been indicted in connection with a CIA leak.

If he is appointed to the Supreme Court, the 55-year-old Mr Alito would take the place of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who is seen as holding a key swing vote.

The nomination is expected officially to be announced at 1300 GMT.


Once nominated by a US president, candidates must be approved by the Senate before they can take a seat on the nine-member Supreme Court bench.

The BBC's Justin Webb in Washington says the choice of Mr Alito is likely to prove highly controversial.

As a supporter of restricting, if not entirely abolishing, the constitutional right of American women to have abortions, Mr Alito's selection would galvanise the conservative base of Mr Bush's Republican party but horrify the US Left.

If he gets to the Supreme Court, he will be in a position to join forces with other social conservatives to reshape the culture of the nation, our correspondent adds.

Republican Senator John Cornyn has praised Mr Alito as a "man of outstanding character, who is deeply committed to public service", the Reuters news agency reports.

But Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid told CNN on Sunday that a nomination for Mr Alito would "create a lot of problems".

Mr Reid and other Democrats urged the president to pick a consensus candidate rather than bowing to pressure from conservative Republicans.

Immense power

Mr Alito is considered a quiet and reserved member of the federal appeals courts, sitting on the Third Circuit in Philadelphia.

From New Jersey and of Italian descent, he was appointed to the bench in 1990 by the first President George Bush.

He is known for consistently conservative judgements, leading commentators to compare him to current Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

The justices of the Supreme Court have immense power and are appointed until they die, resign or are impeached.

They can overrule politicians and declare decisions of the president unconstitutional.

In the near future, the court is expected to consider some of America's most bitterly contested social issues, including assisted suicide, abortion, same-sex marriage, human cloning and campaign finance law.


Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/4392540.stm

Published: 2005/10/31 13:01:22 GMT

© BBC MMV