Roberts Hints He Wouldn't Overturn Roe v. Wade

Roberts Hints He Wouldn't Overturn Roe v. Wade

NewsMax.com Wires
Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2005

WASHINGTON - John Roberts pledged Tuesday to respect established rulings if confirmed to the Supreme Court, saying judges must recognize that their role is "not to solve society's problems."

With few appeals court rulings by Roberts to go on, lawmakers and special interest groups have been poring over the nominee's writings to try to determine his legal philosophy. Roberts provided some new insight in answers to a lengthy questionnaire from the Senate Judiciary Committee made public Tuesday. The committee will begin considering Roberts' nomination on Sept. 6.

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Roberts provided responses to a broad array of questions involving work history, political ties and views on judicial activism. His thoughts on that subject are considered critical to gauging his position on overturning the 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion.

"Precedent plays an important role in promoting the stability of the legal system," Roberts wrote. "A sound judicial philosophy should reflect recognition of the fact that the judge operates within a system of rules developed over the years by other judges equally striving to live up to the judicial oath."

At the same time, Roberts said that "judges must be constantly aware that their role, while important, is limited."

"They do not have a commission to solve society's problems, as they see them, but simply to decide cases before them according to the rule of law," he wrote.

Roberts worked in the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations before entering private practice. He has been an appellate judge since 2003.

In response to a question about his memberships, Roberts said he does not recall ever being a member of the conservative Federalist Society, although he participated in events including a 1993 panel and gave a luncheon speech to the legal group in 2003.

"According to recent press reports, in 1997 I was listed in brochures as a member of the Washington Lawyers Steering Committee," Roberts wrote. "I have no recollection of serving on that committee, or being a member of the society."

Detailing his political ties, Roberts said he spent about a week assisting Florida Gov. Jeb Bush during the disputed presidential election count in 2000.

He said he went to Florida at the request of GOP lawyers, assisting an attorney who was preparing arguments for the Florida Supreme Court and at one point meeting the governor, President Bush's younger brother, to discuss the legal issues "in a general way."

"My recollection is that I stayed less than one week," Roberts wrote.

Other political affiliations Roberts listed were the executive committee of the D.C. Lawyers for Bush-Quayle in 1988, Lawyers for Bush-Cheney and the Republican National Lawyers Association.

Responding to a question about his experience in the judicial selection process, Roberts wrote he was interviewed by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales as early as April 1, a time when Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist was at the center of retirement speculation.

Besides Bush, he reported having discussions with Vice President Dick Cheney, Karl Rove, White House Counsel Harriet Miers and Chief of Staff Andrew Card. To the question whether if any of them asked about his specific legal views on positions on cases, Roberts gave a one-word reply: "No."

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