Bush Nominates Roberts for Chief Justice Position
President Bush said Monday morning that he would nominate John G. Roberts as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Justice of the United States, saying that the Senate is "well along" in the process of considering him.
If confirmed, 50-year-old Roberts would succeed the late William H. Rehnquist, taking on a role that could impact American society for decades. President Bush indicated that he wanted the Senate to confirm him within the month. That would be in time for the opening of the High Court's fall term.
The president lauded the nominee for his "integrity and fairness."
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"Judge Roberts has earned the nation's confidence and I'm pleased to announce that I will nominate him to serve as the 17th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
Initial reactions to the announcement from Christian groups were mixed with an openly welcoming acceptance and others expressing discomfort with the speed of the nomination, saying that more needed to be known about Roberts.
The American Center for Law and Justice, a conservative Christian legal group issued a statement from its Chief Counsel, Jay Sekulow, who called the nomination an "extraordinary move."
"The nomination of John Roberts as Chief Justice is a welcomed decision – one that will serve both the nation and the high court well." Sekulow, who also advises the White House on court issues and says he has known Roberts for nearly 20 years said there "could not be a better person for such an important position."
Other groups were uncomfortable with the speed of the announcement, stressing the importance of getting to know the Roberts more.
Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney of the Christian Defense Coalition did not immediately endorse the decision, saying that it may have been better for the president to nominate judges that he already knew and approved of such as Justices Clarence Thomas, and Antonin Scalia, often viewed as the two most conservative Justices on the bench.
"... it is very troubling that he would pass over them for Judge Roberts, a judge that we know very little about regarding the future direction of the court," said Mahoney in a released statement.
"The faith community is calling upon the President to offer more details to the American public on why he made this surprise move. At this time, it is impossible for the Christian Defense Coalition to endorse John Roberts for this post," he added.
Similarly, Rob Schenck, president of the National Clergy Council said in a statement that it would have helped to have initial hearings for Roberts before the Senate. Despite the sudden nomination, he emphasized the importance of a thorough vetting process by Senators in the coming days.
"I can only hope that perhaps the President spoke to Chief Justice Rehnquist about this before his death. For now, we are left to pray earnestly that, if confirmed, Judge Roberts will continue in the spirit of his mentor. We will also press the U.S. Senate to conduct a fair, thorough, constitutional hearing worthy of a nominee to the highest judicial post in the land."
Before Monday's nomination, most conservative Christian groups had cautiously supported Roberts, recognizing his excellent credentials as a strong student at Harvard, his 39 appearances arguing cases before the Supreme Court as a lawyer, and also trusting that President Bush would nominate a strict constructionist judge that would not deviate into "judicial activism."
Originally, Roberts had been nominated to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. The president's decision to withdraw that nomination and attempt to appoint him to the Chief Justice position means that a replacement must still be found. The President said he would do so in a timely manner.
