Roberts says he's not "up to speed" on 1st Amend. law re: media access

[Rose Siding]

snip>
"Suppose (administration officials) felt that the rescue operations of the government, whether it's state, local or federal, was being handled in an inept way, or evacuees are being mistreated," Leahy asked Roberts. "Does that give them a right to bar the media, who may want to expose that?"

Roberts said that he is not up to speed on First Amendment law or precedents and hasn't dealt with many First Amendment access cases. And he noted that there exist "some perfectly valid reasons for excluding media," though he didn't name them.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/14/AR2005091401087.html

Given Judy/Cooper/Plame/Novak/Rove, I find that to be an incredible remark, akin to Thomas' confirmation claim not to have read Roe.

Of course, the two cases -access in NO and the leak case- are vastly different. But wouldn't a candidate for CJ have kept himself apprised of 1st amend intricacies, just considering current events?

[greekspeak]

1. "...not up to speed on First Amendment law or precedents?"

Hello? This man is being confirmed as the highest ranking member of the highest court in this LAND? And he is "not up to speed on First Amendment law or precedents?" What is going on here? This is ridiculous. How dare Chimpy McCokespoon waste our government's time with this nonsense. I don't beleive the man is qualified to clerk for a municipal traffic court.

[stellanoir]

2. If he's not up to speed

on one of our most primary civil rites which has been shredded by the current misadministration then why, pray tell is he worthy of a lifelong appointment to be the highest judge in the land?

I never, ever, ever, ever thought that there would come a day when this whole country wouldn't be a "free speech zone."

[Totally Committed]

3. He's only been a judge for three effing years!

He's not fit to be Supreme Court Justice, whether or not he's "up to speed" on this or anything!

TC

[zbdent]

4. Of course, he might be facing a case in which it deals with the 1st

Amendment, so he "cannot answer".

[gkhouston]

5. not up to speed.

Well, Mr. Roberts, why don't you go back to law school and re-apply for this position in a few years when you are up to speed?

[indepat]

6. Judge Roberts is not up to speed on the principles upon which this

Republic was founded, on what a constitutional form of government is all about: he's been blinded by the right and like all so blinded, they have a different idea IMHO.