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Democrats Say Alito's Answers Inconsistent NewsMax.com Wires WASHINGTON -- Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee said Wednesday that members of his party were troubled by inconsistencies in Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito's answers on issues ranging from voting rights to ethics to his membership in a conservative organization. On the third day of confirmation hearings, Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont said Democrats would press President Bush's choice to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor 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. Republicans hold the majority in the Senate - 55-44 with one independent - and Alito, a federal appeals judge, is expected to win confirmation to the high court unless some GOP lawmakers oppose his nomination. The Senate is expected to vote on the nominee later this month. Story Continues Below
Democratic Sen. Richard Durbin of Illinois cited Alito's testimony Tuesday in which he said he would have an open mind if faced with the question of abortion on the Supreme Court. The senator said the nominee's writings and testimony suggested otherwise, with "a mind that sadly is closed in some instances." Chief Justice John Roberts, in his testimony last year, described Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark ruling that legalized abortion, as settled law. Alito said the ruling "is an important precedent of the Supreme Court," but declined Durbin's prodding to use the term "settled law." Leahy listed several concerns, among them Alito's comments on the principle of one-man, one-vote and his inability to recall details about his membership _ which he listed on a Reagan administration job application _ in a conservative organization that opposed the admission of women and minorities at Princeton University, Alito's alma mater. Democrats also voiced concern about Alito's answers concerning whether he told the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that he should not be hearing cases involving investment company Vanguard. He holds six-figure investments with Vanguard. Alito promised the Judiciary Committee at his 1990 confirmation hearing as an appellate judge that he would remove himself from cases that present a conflict of interest. He said his participation in a 2002 Vanguard case was an oversight, although he also said he didn't do anything wrong. The American Bar Association and his supporters have accepted that explanation.
© 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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