Thursday, September 15, 2005

Roberts on media access

In his Senate confirmation hearings, John Roberts, the nominee for Chief Justice of the United States, appeared to defend the right of the news media to have access to public events.
"If it's a situation in which the public is being given access, you can't discriminate against the media and say, as a general matter, that the media don't have access, because their access rights, of course, correspond with those of the public."
However, Roberts said there were "some perfectly valid reasons for excluding media." Characteristically, he did not name what those reasons might be.

Roberts appears to be sailing through his confirmation hearings. It's hard not to be impressed. Even though I'm not a lawyer, I have the impression that he is very, very bright. He speaks easily and without notes. He is unruffled, even as Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee grow visibly frustrated by Roberts' ability to avoid answering most questions. Senators Biden and Schumer are doing their jobs, but are likely being perceived as behaving badly by interrupting and badgering Roberts.

There have been a few moments of levity. At one point, Senator Grassley asked Roberts for his stand on cameras in the courtroom. Roberts, referring to former Senator Fred Thompson, who plays District Attorney Arthur Branch on NBC's "Law and Order" and is now sheparding Roberts through the confirmation process, answered: "My new best friend, Senator Thompson, assures me that television cameras are nothing to be afraid of."

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home

The opinions stated here are my own and in no way reflect those of Brigham Young University, its students, faculty, or sponsoring institution.