Panel chief: Roe vs. Wade not on table
WASHINGTON —The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said Sunday he will not ask U.S. chief justice nominee John Roberts if he would vote to overturn Roe vs. Wade, the landmark decision that legalized abortion.
Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) did say he planned to ask Roberts, President Bush’s pick to succeed the late William H. Rehnquist as chief justice, whether there is a right to privacy in the Constitution.Roberts’ confirmation hearing to be the nation’s 17th chief justice will begin this afternoon.
The first day, however, is expected to be taken up by the opening statements of the committee’s 18 senators. Roberts is not expected to speak until late in the afternoon.
Specter said he was uncertain whether Roberts would favor overturning the Roe vs. Wade decision from 1973 that established a right to abortion. Specter supports a woman’s right to choose to end her pregnancy.
“I think it is inappropriate to ask him head-on if he’s going to overturn Roe, but I believe that there are many issues close to the issue, like his respect for precedent,” Specter said.
Source: SunTimes.com © 2005 Digital Chicago
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