More on Roberts's Partisan Activities

by Chris Bowers, Wed Jul 20, 2005 at 12:54:12 PM EDT

Surprise, surprise. Roberts's work for Ken Starr was not about being an advocate, it was about furthering the conservative political agenda:Solicitor General Kenneth W. Starr is expected to name Washington attorney John G. Roberts Jr. to be the "political" deputy in the solicitor's office, the government's advocate before the Supreme Court.

Roberts, 34, a former clerk to Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, met Starr when both worked as aides to Attorney General William French Smith in the early Reagan years.

The job, counselor to the solicitor general as well as deputy solicitor general, was created in 1982 after strong conservative criticism that the traditionally independent office was not forceful enough in pushing the administration's social agenda at the high court. Of the five deputies in the office, the political deputy is the only non-career appointee.

This was a position created in order to further a partisan agenda, not to enhance the legal capabilities of the solicitor general. It was created to render a "traditionally independent" office less independent and more politically partisan. Is it that much of a stretch to argue that the second Bush is trying to hire Roberts in order to perform the same function on the Supreme Court?

Tags: Republicans (all tags)

Comments

5 Comments

Sort by

permalink

Roberts satisfies the 3 Republican interests

First he satisfies the Right-To-Life anti-abortion wing of the party.

Second he satisfies the corporatist croud.

And third and probably most important he satisfies the facist/Neocon Bush, Cheney, Rove, Gonzalez, Rumsfield, Wolfowitz faction.

Add to that he's a Republican operative and probably a corupt one at that.

by Painter2004 2005-07-20 01:08PM | 0 recs

permalink

worse and worse

Every time I read something

Trillin
http://www.mnleftyliberal.blogspot.com

by trillin 2005-07-20 01:28PM | 0 recs

permalink

Just Tossing Out Stuff Won't Work

The position in question has also existed in Democratic administrations, and has been held by some fairly prominent attorneys. Attacking Roberts' tenure at the SG's office is unlikely to produce results. People should do a little research before throwing everything at the wall in hopes something sticks. That is an extremely ineffective tactic and is rapidly undermining the credibility of Roberts' critics.

by SLinVA 2005-07-20 08:13PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Just Tossing Out Stuff Won't Work

So the position was created in a Republican adminsitration, what is the next Democrat suppose to do? Remove it and not take advantage of it as well to counter the prior administration. It would be nice if the position weren't simply replaced once the next Republican got into office. If the Republicans remove the filibuster should the Democrats put it back once they get back power? Or do they use it to make up for the damage done by the Republicans. It would be a better world if that would work. If being decent people worked when fighting evil but it doesn't. It may be Dems held the post afterwards but the psotion was created and most likely exploited more by Republicans so its fair game to look at the post and its use in this situation. Anything that sheds light on this man is fair game.

by jrflorida 2005-07-21 10:25AM | 0 recs

permalink

Roberts Advised Jeb Bush in Florida 2000 Mess

Did my research tonight, and found that word is surfacing that John Roberts was a key advisor...some say THE key advisor, THE "800-lb gorilla" in the 2000 debacle...to Florida Governor Jeb Bush, in the 2000 post-election Florida "recount." He helped Jeb "understand" his responsibilites under Florida law.

Seriously!

by Deborah White 2005-07-20 09:18PM | 0 recs