JURIST - Paper Chase: Alito gives answers on abortion, precedent in final committee questionnaire

[JURIST] US Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito [official profile; JURIST news archive] on Friday provided additional written answers [PDF text] to questions submitted by Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee regarding his views of a variety of legal issues and reiterated statements made during his confirmation hearings that the Constitution protects a right to privacy. As he did during testimony before the Committee, Alito once again refused to answer any questions regarding his views on the 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade [opinion], stating that Roe concerns issues that he may have to decide if he wins confirmation to the high court. Alito did provide answers to other questions posed by the Senators, however, including his views of the 1966 Miranda v. Arizona [opinion] decision requiring police to tell suspects of their rights when taken into custody, saying that reliance on a case "is a fact that counsels in favor of adherence to prior precedent." Also Friday, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) [official website] on Friday told Republican activists [Reuters report] that Alito is the "worst nightmare of liberal Democrats." Although some Senate Democrats have announced their opposition to the nomination [JURIST report], including ranking member of the judiciary committee Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) [official website], Alito is still likely to pass a vote in the full Senate. The judiciary committee will vote on the nomination Tuesday, with debate in the Senate expected to begin the following day. AP has more.

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