[Mb-civic] Bush Nominates Roberts as Chief Justice - Washington Post

[William Swiggard]

Bush Nominates Roberts as Chief Justice

By Fred Barbash
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, September 5, 2005; 10:15 AM

President Bush announced this morning that he will nominate John G. 
Roberts as the 17th chief justice of the United States.

If confirmed, Roberts will replace William H. Rehnquist, who died 
Saturday from cancer. Roberts clerked for Rehnquist in 1980 when 
Rehnquist was an associate justice.

Bush had selected Roberts in July to fill the seat of retiring Justice 
Sandra Day O'Connor. Today's move, which was surprising primarily in its 
speed, avoids a prolonged public vetting of an entirely new nominee for 
the chief justice's job. While some liberal organizations have stated 
their opposition to Roberts' appointment as an associate justice, there 
was little doubt that he was going to be confirmed for that position, 
barring any startling revelations.

O'Connor has made her resignation effective with the confirmation of 
Roberts as associate justice. If she sticks to that plan and stays on 
until a new replacement is confirmed and if Roberts is confirmed as 
chief justice in the next month, the court could get started on its new 
term with a full contingent of nine.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said that was the president's 
expectation.

McClellan suggested that there would be a "short delay" in the schedule 
for Roberts' confirmation hearings, which were to begin tomorrow.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/05/AR2005090500173.html?referrer=email
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