Fidelis: “Upcoming Hearings Should Honor Rehnquist Legacy”

From Fidelis.org:

Fidelis: “Upcoming Hearings Should Honor Rehnquist Legacy”
Calls on Senators to Conduct Respectful Debate

WASHINGTON — Following the death of Supreme Court Justice William H. Rehnquist, Fidelis paid tribute to the Chief Justice and his tenure on the bench and called on Senators to honor Rehnquist’s legacy in the upcoming confirmation hearings by conducting a respectful debate.

Fidelis President Joseph Cella stated: “Justice Rehnquist was a revered elder statesman because of his character, keen intellect and faithfulness to the Constitution. He is rightly heralded by his colleagues from all ideological leanings for his strong and even-handed leadership.”

The death of Rehnquist creates a second vacancy on the high court and sets the stage for a second series of confirmation hearings to fill the vacancy left by Justice Sandra Day O’Connor after President Bush nominated Judge John Roberts to serve as Chief Justice.

“With two vacancies on the court, the dynamic may become increasingly volatile. Senators should honor the Rehnquist legacy by conducting a respectful debate in the upcoming confirmation hearings, treat the nominees with dignity, and not subject those to questions about their religious beliefs or other deeply held personal beliefs that have no place or bearing in the hearings,” Cella said.

Following the delay of the Roberts confirmation hearings, the timeline of the next series of hearings was uncertain as was whether Justice Sandra Day O’Connor will remain on the bench into the next term of the Court that begins on October 3.

Cella: “Some U.S. Senators and liberal group allies are already signaling that they will use any means necessary to grill the nominees and disrupt the process. Questions to continue to swirl around Judge Roberts' religion and to what extent his faith will be a focus of questioning in his hearings. Given the anti-religious statements made by some in the U.S. Senators, there is serious concern that this could degenerate into the abusive spectacles of the past, and leave the country unrepresented on the Supreme Court.”

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