President George W. Bush has nominated Judge Samuel A. Alito Jr., Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, to replace the retiring Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Conner on the Supreme Court.
Before this nomination by President Bush, Alito served from 1987-1990 as a U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, a Deputy Assistant Attorney General from 1985-1987 and as an Assistant to the Solicitor General from 1981-1985.
Considered a true conservative jurist on issues such as abortion and school prayer, Alito is often referred to as “Scalito” by lawyers, a reference to the conservative options of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.
Court observers feel Alito was a close second to Harriet Miers among President Bush’s choices to replace Justice O’Connor.
Miers withdrew her nomination last week after coming under attack by conservatives within the Republican Party. In a statement, Bush said he “reluctantly accepted” her withdrawal.
“Harriet Miers’ decision demonstrates her deep respect for this essential aspect of the constitutional separation of powers — and confirms my deep respect and admiration for her,” Bush said.
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