Date: January 12, 2006
Senator: Coburn
Topic:
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SPECTER: Thank you very much, Senator Cornyn.
Senator Coburn?
COBURN: Thank you very much. And I appreciate so much you all taking the time to come here.
As a physician, I'm starting to learn some of the lingo of the legal profession. It's hard, but I'm going to talk in doctor's terms so the rest of them can't understand.
But, Judge Barry, I wanted to ask you -- and also Judge Lewis -- do you think that there is any merit whatsoever to the allegations that were made that Judge Alito is hostile to the rights of women or minorities? And have you seen that? In the 30 years, have you seen any indication whatsoever, either in his opinions, his personal life, in his interpersonal relations with you, or you, Judge Lewis, that there is any indication that there's that type of bias in this man?
BARRY: I have never seen it. And if I had seen it, I would not be here today.
COBURN: Judge Lewis?
LEWIS: I've already said that if I sensed that Sam Alito, during the time that I served with him or since then, was hostile to civil rights or would be hostile to civil rights as a justice of the United States Supreme Court, I absolutely would not be here today.
I am not interested in saying anything on behalf of someone that I believe would hold views like that or would proceed in that way.
I am basing what I am saying on my years of experience in conference with him, discussing cases. We had different views and different approaches, but never did it seem to me that he held any hostility to civil rights, which is an area that I hold very dear and is very important to me -- and remain committed to furthering in this country.
COBURN: Thank you.
Well, Mr. Chairman, I don't think that you can have a better recommendation than the people that you worked with and the people that you spend the greatest amount of time with and the people who see you under stress, who make evaluations.
And the greatest tragedy, I think, of this hearing is the allegations that have been made that aren't substantiated based on fact, but are substantiated on the basis of the fact that you want to try to destroy somebody's character and undermine their character to make them look a certain way in which they're not.
COBURN: And I appreciate your all's very straightforward answer, and I thank you coming.
And I yield back my time.
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