Roberts advised O'Connor to be discreet at hearing (middle name Hubris?)

[SoCalDem]

http://www.rednova.com/news/politics/204873/roberts_advised_oconnor_to_be_discreet_at_hearing/index.html

Roberts advised O'Connor to be discreet at hearing

By James Vicini

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -

Supreme Court nominee John Roberts advised Sandra Day O'Connor, the moderate conservative he seeks to replace, to avoid specific answers at her Senate confirmation hearings about legal issues expected to reach the court, according to newly released memos.Those groups opposed to Roberts' nomination and even some Democrats say the tactic to not answer questions completely could be used by him to hide controversial views. The most recent nominees have pursued this approach to not indicate how they might vote in future court cases.
The memos from his days as a young Justice Department aide in 1981 were made available on Thursday by the National Archives and show the strategy Roberts himself is likely to use when he faces senators next month.

The 50-year-old conservative, now a U.S. appeals court judge, began his involvement with O'Connor's high court appointment on his first day on the job on Aug. 10, 1981, as a special assistant to Attorney General William French Smith.

"I started in on the process of preparing draft answers to questions that were likely to be asked during the confirmation hearings," Robert wrote in a Sept. 17, 1981, memo to Kenneth Starr, the counselor to Smith.

snip.....

In helping prepare O'Connor, Roberts said he went over the confirmation hearings for five previous high court nominees.
"A topic outline of the more recent hearings ... was prepared to identify the major areas of questioning and pet projects and concerns of Judiciary Committee members," he said, adding that a digest of questions and answers was compiled.

Although the Bush administration has made available records involving Roberts from 1981-82, it has refused to release internal documents that he wrote as deputy solicitor general at the Justice Department from 1989-1993.
(Additional reporting by Deborah Charles, Vicki Allen, Susan Cornwell and Joanne Kenen

[Gyre]

1. Well, I think Sandy is a big girl.

and old enough to tell Mr. Roberts to kiss her wrinkled ass if she gets offended by somebody's temerity. Regardless, who gives a crap? She's no saint, but she is a corporate-loving intellectual whore.

Gyre

[Igel]

2. I don't think her ass was as wrinkled when the advice was given.

The advice was given 24 years ago, apparently. It's the same kind of advice that either Ginsburg received, or generated on her own.

And many others.

I do find it interesting that it says that Roberts' helped 'prepare' O'Connor. Not something I would have surmised.

[SoCalDem]

3. Exactly.. He would have been a young "whippersnapper"

at the time, but obviously on an "inside track" or he would not have been chosen to prep her.. He's been in deep cover for a long time.. just being pushed up the ladded quietly until the time is right..