Carper Statement on Nomination of Harriet Miers to Supreme Court

WASHINGTON (Oct. 3, 2005) – Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., today issued the following statement on the nomination of Harriet Miers to the U.S. Supreme Court: “Ms. Miers has some very big shoes to fill. Sandra Day O’Connor was a principled, fair-minded conservative who often determined the direction of the Supreme Court. As such, the Senate must carefully examine Ms. Miers’ career, record, and judicial philosophy before deciding if she merits a lifetime appointment to the nation’s highest court. John Roberts was confirmed to the Supreme Court last week because, among other things, he was exceptionally well-qualified and possessed a thorough understanding of the law. Ms. Miers must be held to those same standards. I’m pleased that President Bush has chosen a woman to replace Justice O’Connor and that the president avoided nominating a candidate that would immediately draw stiff criticism from Democrats and other groups. I look forward to learning more about Ms. Miers’ record in the coming weeks.”