How Appealing



Monday, September 12, 2005

Three hours and forty minutes of riveting, non-stop viewing enjoyment: Anyone who missed day one of the Senate Judiciary Committee‘s confirmation hearing for Chief Justice nominee John G. Roberts, Jr., and anyone who demands another look to cure insomnia, can view the entire hearing online via C-SPAN by clicking here (RealPlayer required). C-SPAN also provides links to shorter video clips, organized by speaker, from today’s hearing. And The New York Times provides this transcript of today’s proceeding.

Posted at 11:30 PM by Howard Bashman



Available online from law.com: Tony Mauro and T.R. Goldman report that “Roberts Pledges Judicial Humility in Opening Remarks.”

A truly fascinating, don’t-miss item is headlined “Sworn Testimony: Rehnquist Remembered; The late chief justice’s admirers — and detractors — speak of private moments and lasting legacies.”

In other news, an article is headlined “9th Circuit: Warrantless Searches Must Be Warranted.” My earlier coverage is here.

And an article reports that “Adelphia Asked Boies Schiller to Resign Over Family Connection to Vendor.” Today’s related article from The Wall Street Journal is here via “Adam Smith, Esq.

Posted at 11:00 PM by Howard Bashman



Available online from The Washington Post: Tuesday’s newspaper will contain a front page article headlined “‘Judges Are Not Politicians,’ Roberts Says; As Hearings Begin, Democrats Call for Fuller Answers on Civil Rights Views.”

Charles Lane will report that “Nominee’s Rulings Lean Right.”

Tomorrow’s newspaper will also contain articles headlined “As Battlefield Shrinks, Democrats Mute Their Attacks” and “A Day of Firsts, Overshadowed.”

Today’s newspaper, meanwhile, contains an editorial entitled “The Roberts Hearings.”

Posted at 10:44 PM by Howard Bashman



“Battle begins for Supreme Court’s soul; The President’s proposed Chief Justice faces a grilling by Democrats before his position is confirmed”: This article appears Tuesday in The Times of London.

The Guardian (UK) on Tuesday reports that “Battle begins in Senate on nomination of chief justice.”

Patti Waldmeir reports in Tuesday’s edition of Financial Times that “Roberts says judges should play limited role in society.”

Tuesday in The Chicago Tribune, Jan Crawford Greenburg will report that “Confirmation hearings begin for chief justice nominee Roberts.” And the newspaper will also report that “First day of Roberts hearing proceeds without protest.”

The Hill on Tuesday will contain articles headlined “Roberts hearing begins“; “Sen. DeWine plans tough questioning“; and “CBC questions John Roberts.”

Tom Curry, national affairs writer for MSNBC, has a report headlined “Looking inside the plainspoken Hoosier; Friends and foes see eloquence, but differ on what’s next in grilling Roberts.” Curry also blogged today’s hearing for MSNBC.

From Knight Ridder Newspapers, James Kuhnhenn reports that “Judges ‘don’t make the rules,’ Roberts says as hearings begin.” And Stephen Henderson reports that “Roberts articulates philosophy of judicial restraint.”

Voice of America News reports that “Supreme Court Nominee Pledges Open Mind if Confirmed” and “Wide Range of Legal Issues Surface at Roberts Hearings.”

Investor’s Business Daily reports that “Roberts Remains Calm While Senators Stake Left, Right Arguments.”

And online at “SCOTUSblog,” Lyle Denniston has a post titled “Commentary: political realism on Day One.”

Posted at 8:50 PM by Howard Bashman



“Gold Stripes? Try Pastel Robes, Sweetheart.” This post appears online at the blog titled “Conservative Bloggers Who Support The Gay Judge Roberts” (via OpinionJournal’s “Best of the Web Today” (sixth item)).

Posted at 6:04 PM by Howard Bashman



“On Iran-contra, what did Roberts know? Memos reveal his objections to any Reagan White House role in contra-funding plans.” Warren Richey will have this article Tuesday in The Christian Science Monitor.

Posted at 5:28 PM by Howard Bashman



“Surprise Party: Readers show the Judiciary Committee how to rattle John Roberts.” Bruce Reed, author of Slate’s “The Has-Been,” provides this post.

Posted at 5:20 PM by Howard Bashman



“Racy e-mails to remain private; State Supreme court rules on whether every message produced on government-owned equipment is open to public scrutiny, even if the subject is intimate”: The Denver Post provides this news update.

And The Rocky Mountain News provides a news update headlined “Court blocks release of Baker e-mails” that begins, “The Colorado Supreme Court unanimously blocked a Rocky Mountain News effort to obtain hundreds of e-mails exchanged between Arapahoe County Clerk Tracy Baker and Leesa Sale, his lover and assistant, in a decision this morning.”

You can access today’s ruling of the Supreme Court of Colorado at this link.

Posted at 5:04 PM by Howard Bashman



“Roberts Rejects ‘Judicial Activism’ In Opening Remarks; Senators Say They Will Question Nominee on Congressional Authority”: The Washington Post provides this news update.

Jesse J. Holland of The Associated Press reports that “Roberts Says Justices Play a Limited Role.” And The AP also provides an item headlined “Newsview: Roberts Hearings a Warm-Up.”

Reuters provides reports headlined “Senate opens US high court confirmation hearing” and “Roberts, son face US Senate in hearing.”

And Bloomberg News reports that “John Roberts Vows ‘No Platform’ as U.S. Chief Justice.”

Posted at 4:55 PM by Howard Bashman



“Senate Judiciary Committee Hearings on Nomination of Judge Roberts”: A complete transcript of today’s proceedings is available here via The New York Times.

Posted at 4:50 PM by Howard Bashman



Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) is the first to shed tears during the confirmation hearing: That’s based on the audio. Tom Goldstein at “SCOTUSblog” calls it “the most dramatic moment of the proceedings so far.”

Posted at 3:07 PM by Howard Bashman



“Senators Reveal Diverse Opinions as Roberts Hearings Open”: The Los Angeles Times provides this news update.

And The New York Times provides access here to a transcript of today’s hearings.

Posted at 2:54 PM by Howard Bashman



Today’s rulings of note from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit: In Franklin Prescriptions, Inc. v. New York Times Co., the plaintiff filed a defamation action arising under Pennsylvania law against one of the Nation’s most well-known newspapers. After the federal district court denied the newspaper’s motion for summary judgment, the case was tried to a jury, which found the article at issue to be false and defamatory but also found that plaintiff suffered no actual harm caused by the publication and accordingly awarded no damages. The jury verdict resulted in the entry of judgment in favor of The New York Times, and today a unanimous three-judge Third Circuit panel affirmed in an opinion that you can access here.

Today’s other ruling of note is an action against a former Attorney General of Pennsylvania. Because that individual now himself serves on the Third Circuit, today’s decision in his favor is rendered by judges visiting from outside the Third Circuit.

Posted at 2:30 PM by Howard Bashman



“GOP Warns Roberts on Probing Questions”: Jesse J. Holland of The Associated Press provides this report. It appears that the nominee has opted for the charcoal grey suit, white shirt, and red tie.

Posted at 11:58 AM by Howard Bashman



“Welcome to the Roberts Confirmation Hearings”: At “SCOTUSblog,” Tom Goldstein is blogging from the Russell Senate Office Building.

Posted at 11:54 AM by Howard Bashman



“Rehnquist court split on Texas causes; Justices backed death penalty but not anti-sodomy law, school prayer”: This article appears today in The Houston Chronicle.

Posted at 11:50 AM by Howard Bashman



Apparently C-SPAN4, 5, and 6 are otherwise occupied: C-SPAN3, a television station that my home cable system does not carry, will be broadcasting live coverage of today’s confirmation hearing for Chief Justice nominee John G. Roberts, Jr. You can view the broadcast online by clicking here (RealPlayer) or here (Windows Media Player). The hearing is scheduled to begin at noon eastern time today, but pregame commentary is already underway.

Posted at 11:30 AM by Howard Bashman