Washington, Sept. 14, 2005-Edwin Meese III,
Chairman of the Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at The
Heritage Foundation, today issued the following statement upon the
closing of the third day of testimony by Judge John Roberts before
the Senate Judiciary Committee:
"In his opening statement and testimony over the past three days,
Judge John Roberts easily showed that the confidence President Bush
placed in him was amply justified. Moreover, he certainly impressed
the American people with his outstanding performance before the
committee.
"Judge Roberts has been more forthcoming than any nominee to the
High Court in recent memory, while carefully following the rules of
judicial ethics. He ably demonstrated, in countless answers to the
committee, that he is devoted to faithfully interpreting and
applying the Constitution and laws as they are written and will
give their words their plain and ordinary meaning.
"This devotion to apply the original meaning of the Constitution
and laws is sorely needed today, when yet another federal judge in
California has struck down the Pledge of Allegiance because it
contains the words 'under God.'
"Over the past three days, John Roberts hit a home run for
constitutional fidelity. He has proven beyond any serious doubt
that he will be a steadfast defender of the actual Constitution -
not the policymaking of activist judges."