Political Quotes

“I will vote to confirm Donald B. Verrilli, Jr., to be Solicitor General of the United States, but I do so with little enthusiasm. Mr. Verrilli has impressive credentials and noteworthy accomplishments. In addition to his government service in the White House Counsel's Office and at the Department of Justice, he has been a litigator in private practice for more than 20 years. He has argued 12 cases, and participated in more than 100 cases, before the Supreme Court of the United States. Mr. Verrilli served for over 15 years as an adjunct professor of constitutional law at the Georgetown University Law Center. He clerked for Associate Justice William J. Brennan, Jr., of the U.S. Supreme Court, and Judge J. Skelly Wright of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. My concern with this nomination is whether or not the nominee will demonstrate appropriate independence in the office. His testimony at his hearing raised doubts about his ability and commitment to uphold that principle. Mr. Verrilli seemed to buy into the notion that he was still the President's lawyer. He gave lipservice to the two traditional exceptions to the Solicitor General defending a statute--first, if the statute violates separation of powers by infringing on the President's constitutional authority; and second, if there is no reasonable argument that can be advanced in defense of the statute. Mr.…”