Oct 27 2005

Graham Statement on Harriet Miers Withdrawal

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today made the following statement on the withdrawal of Harriet Miers as a candidate for the Supreme Court. “Harriet Miers was a fine nominee to the Supreme Court. She’s an able lawyer and a role model for many young women. Many of the criticisms leveled against her were off-base and some were not respectful of the life she lived. She broke many glass ceilings and deserves credit for her many accomplishments. “Unfortunately, the confirmation process is very rough. She had legitimate concerns about the upcoming fight over access to White House documents. When the President appoints his lawyer to the Supreme Court, the Senate is going to want to know how she conducted herself as his counsel. Sensing this divide would be a difficult one to overcome, she decided to put the interests of the President above her own personal interests. I applaud her for making this tough decision and her willingness to serve her country. “I hope President Bush will again give serious consideration to selecting a woman to fill this vacancy. There are many well-qualified, strict constructionists who would serve our nation well on the Court.” #####