Washington, D.C. —
Senator John Thune today issued the following statement on President Obama’s announcement of Solicitor General Elena Kagan as his nominee to the Supreme Court:
“A lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court is a serious matter, and Ms. Kagan and the American people deserve a fair hearing and a thorough examination of her background and legal record. Our Constitution and laws must be what guide the decisions of our Supreme Court justices, not political inclinations or personal feelings. While I opposed Ms. Kagan’s previous nomination to be Solicitor General, I look forward to carefully reviewing her qualifications and record from throughout her career. I am particularly interested to see if she would be a judge who is committed to applying the law as it is written, as opposed to legislating from the bench. Given that Ms. Kagan does not have a judicial record, it will be especially important for Senators to inquire as to her views on the Constitution and the role of the Court.”
“A lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court is a serious matter, and Ms. Kagan and the American people deserve a fair hearing and a thorough examination of her background and legal record. Our Constitution and laws must be what guide the decisions of our Supreme Court justices, not political inclinations or personal feelings. While I opposed Ms. Kagan’s previous nomination to be Solicitor General, I look forward to carefully reviewing her qualifications and record from throughout her career. I am particularly interested to see if she would be a judge who is committed to applying the law as it is written, as opposed to legislating from the bench. Given that Ms. Kagan does not have a judicial record, it will be especially important for Senators to inquire as to her views on the Constitution and the role of the Court.”