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Senators Resume Questioning of Alito NewsMax.com Wires WASHINGTON -- Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito faces a second day of questions from senators weighing his nomination to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., began the questioning Wednesday where some of his Democratic colleagues left off. Durbin asked about Griswold v. Connecticut, a case dealing with privacy rights related to a woman's right to choose an abortion. The top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee said that members of his party were troubled by inconsistencies in Alito's answers so far on issues ranging from voting rights to ethics to his membership in a conservative organization. Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont said Democrats would press Alito on several statements he made in his earlier testimony. "A number of us have been troubled by what see as inconsistencies in your answers," Leahy told Alito. Story Continues Below
Yesterday, Alito carefully navigated his way through questions about privacy, abortion and presidential powers, saying enough to please his Republican backers while trying not to give Democratic critics any new material to use against his nomination. Democrats voiced frustration about the give and take during the questioning, specifically answers Alito gave on abortion, presidential war powers and conflict-of-interest questions. "Americans have no better answers than they did at the outset of the hearings," said Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. And when Alito does answer, Leahy said it is "vague, inconsistent, and at times, contradictory testimony to what his record shows." Republicans complained that Democrats have already made up their minds about Alito. "I do think that there are those who have already decided to vote against your nomination and are looking for some reason to do so," said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. "And I think one of the reasons that they may claim is that you've been nonresponsive." Cornyn said he saw nothing to derail Alito's confirmation. Durbin will begin the questioning Wednesday before allowing Sens. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., and Tom Coburn, R-Okla., to question Alito for 30 minutes each. The committee will then begin its second round of questioning, with the 18 senators taking 20-minute rounds.
© 2006 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Editor's note: Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:
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