Alito's longer paper trail gives senators much material for questions

Published: 2006-01-10

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- As the second Supreme Court nominee in five months faced the Senate Judiciary Committee in early January, Judge Samuel Alito Jr. encountered a hearing markedly more skeptical in tone than the one now-Chief Justice John Roberts sailed through in September. Contributing to the difference were Alito's lengthier record of judicial opinions and a perception -- described by several Democratic members of the committee -- that Alito would be more judicially conservative than Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, whom he would replace. One key area on which committee members focused in opening remarks and early questioning was Alito's writings on abortion, including his 1985 application to become deputy assistant attorney general, in which he said he personally strongly believed in the government's position that "the Constitution does not protect a right to an abortion."

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