Graham supports Miers nomination

LAUREN WILBERT, Washington Correspondent
Published October 4, 2005

WASHINGTON -- Senate Judiciary Committee member Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., supported President Bush's nomination Monday of Texas-born lawyer and White House Counsel Harriet Miers to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Conner on the Supreme Court.

Although Miers has no judicial experience, Graham said she has been in the "legal trenches" throughout her career as a lawyer, making her a "solid choice" for the role.

Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., said in a statement that Miers would "bring a wealth of personal experience to the Supreme Court."

DeMint said he hopes that the Democratic senators would be more in accord with the Republican vote this time. Half of the Democrats voted against Chief Justice John Roberts Thursday when the Senate confirmed his nomination.

Although as a House member he won't have a vote on Miers' confirmation, Rep. Bob Inglis, R-S.C., was not so firm on his opinion of Bush's former personal lawyer. Inglis said he looks forward to the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings to learn more about the nominee because she has no track record as a judge.

"She's been an advocate in courts, but we haven't been able to see any decisions that she's rendered," Inglis said. "Hearings are always important, but these will be significantly important -- they will develop most of what we know about the potential justice."

He said for that reason he is glad Graham will represent South Carolina during the hearings.

"I'm sure (Miers will) do what Justice Roberts and Justice Ruth (Bader) Ginsburg did and not answer questions to issues pending in the court," Inglis said. "But they can address their judicial philosophy and should be expected to answer that."

Miers was the first woman elected president of the Texas Bar Association and was a partner at the Texas law firm of Locke Liddell & Sapp. She has received support from Republicans and Democrats and has given money to both parties.

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Graham supports Miers nomination
Surprise - Surprise! And how long have you known Ms. Miers, Senator Graham? Your statements (and Demint's) are just two more examples of your blind allegiance to President Bush. If he ever decides you two need to jump off the Empire State Building with no parachutes, I guess we can call the florist, huh?
Kudos to you, Rep. Inglis, for having the fortitude and intelligence to express a need to know the nominee better before giving your blessings. The fact that President Bush knows her extremely well "ain't even" reason enough to confirm her without a few more facts about "who" she really is.
Big mouthed Mike Gallagher (sp.) made the statement this morning that because she is who the president wants is good enough for him. I guess he'd make a good senator in our state.
~ Neither Republican nor Democrat ~
- ~Jim

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