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Catholic Knights of Columbus Leader Lauds Alito Selection
Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson - leader of the Knights of Columbus, the world's largest lay Catholic organization with more than 1.7 million members worldwide - said Monday federal appeals court Judge Samuel Alito is "a truly excellent choice" for the United States Supreme Court. President Bush nominated Alito Monday morning to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. If confirmed, Alito would be the fifth Catholic justice on the Supreme Court, joining Chief Justice John Roberts and associate justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Anthony Kennedy. "Judge Alito is a man of exceptional background and experience," Anderson said. "His 15 years as a judge on the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia, together with his service as the top federal prosecutor in New Jersey and as a Justice Department lawyer arguing cases before the U.S. Supreme Court make him one of the most qualified persons ever nominated for our highest court."
Story Continues Below "Judge Alito's record as an appellate court judge is especially encouraging. His dissent in the Third Circuit's decision in Planned Parenthood v. Casey was a model of well- reasoned jurisprudence, and was cited by Chief Justice Rehnquist when the case reached the Supreme Court. Judge Alito made a very strong argument for upholding restrictions on abortion that had been adopted by the Pennsylvania legislature, and in the end, the Supreme Court agreed with him on all but one provision." "In other cases, Judge Alito has demonstrated a clear and proper understanding of the religion clauses of the First Amendment, writing majority opinions in cases rejecting the ACLU's attempts to ban manger scenes from public property at Christmastime, and upholding the religious rights of Muslim police officers in Newark," Anderson noted. "Judge Alito is every bit as qualified to serve on the Supreme Court as Chief Justice Roberts, and their backgrounds and intellects are equally impressive. The Senate Judiciary Committee should give him prompt and expeditious consideration, followed by a timely up-or-down vote on the floor of the Senate. Given his long service as an appeals judge, and the fact that his views and written opinions are voluminous and well known, there is no excuse for delay or obstruction," Anderson concluded.
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