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Miers supporter says White House made no promises

Posted on: Tuesday, 11 October 2005, 20:58 CDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A prominent conservative supporter of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers said on Tuesday White House advisor Karl Rove did not give him assurances on how Miers would vote on Roe v. Wade or any other social issues.

"Karl Rove didn't tell me anything about the way Harriet Miers would vote on cases that may come before the Supreme Court," said James Dobson, chairman of Focus on the Family, a conservative group.

"We did not discuss Roe v. Wade in any context or any other pending issue that will be considered by the Court."

In a transcript of a his radio show airing on Wednesday, Dobson said he was now free to speak about a talk he had with Rove before the nomination because Rove had given him permission "to go public."

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, a Pennsylvania Republican, said on Sunday his panel was entitled to know whatever the White House told Dobson about Miers.

Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, which will hold Miers confirmation hearing, agreed and so did others on the panel.

Dobson said Democrats had concluded "in their wildest speculation" that Rove had promised him Miers would vote to overturn the case that affirmed a woman's right to abortion.

"It did not happen, period," Dobson said.

"In reaching out to many people about Harriet Miers, at no time did anyone ask for nor did anyone provide any insight into how Ms. Miers may vote on a particular case that may come before the court," said White House spokeswoman Dana Perino.

Dobson said he would have no problem appearing before the judiciary committee if summoned to testify.

"I have nothing to hide and I'll be happy to come and talk to you," he said, directly addressing committee members. "But I won't have anything to say that I haven't just told millions of people."

On his radio program last week, Dobson said: "When you know some of the things that I know, that I probably shouldn't know, you will understand why I have said -- with fear and trepidation -- that I believe Harriet Miers will be a good justice."

Source: REUTERS

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