Senators Debate Miers Nomination

The top two Senators on the Judiciary Committee expressed concern Sunday over Harriet Miers’ nomination to the Supreme Court.

President Bush’s nominations of Miers to replace the retiring Justice Sandra Day O’Connor has provoked a negative reaction among conservatives, with many leading conservative figures calling on the president to withdraw Miers’ name. Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., told ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos the reaction was one of the toughest lynch mobs ever assembled in Washington, D.C.

He said Bush’s top political adviser, Karl Rove, may be called as a witness during nomination hearings. Specter said he would look into a statement by the Rev. James Dobson, a politically influential religious leader, that he has spoken with Rove about Miers and knows things about her “that I probably shouldn’t know.”

The Senate Judiciary Committee is entitled to know whatever the White House knew, said Specter. “If Dr. Dobson knows something that he shouldn’t know or something that I ought to know, I’m going to find out.”

Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee challenged Bush’s statement that Miers is the most qualified person in America to be on the court.