John G. Roberts and President Bush at the White House. � Announcement | Video More on the Nominee: • DOJ Bio | Law.Com Profile Confirmation Hearings: • Jan. 29, 2003 | April 20, 2003 Indianz.Com Archive: • Bush nominee familiar with Indian law (May 9, 2001) • Appeals court nominees draw fire (January 30, 2003)

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-New York), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said it was "too early to tell" how the nomination of John G. Roberts to the U.S. Supreme Court will impact Native Americans.

Schumer was asked about Native Americans during a press conference yesterday, The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported. Schumer noted that Roberts' personal views on the issue aren't known because he has worked for so many different clients.

Roberts was paid by the state of Alaska in Alaska v. Venetie to argue that Indian Country doesn't exist in the state. The Supreme Court agreed in a 7-2 decision in 1998.

Roberts also represented the state in the Katie John subsistence rights case before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The court sided with Alaska Natives in the case, which wasn't taken to the Supreme Court.

Get the Story:
Roberts worked on Alaska cases (The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner 7/20)
Roberts argued Alaska's viewpoint (The Anchorage Daily News 7/20)
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Today on Indianz.Com:
Bush names John G. Roberts to Supreme Court (7/20)

Get the Alaska v. Venetie Case:
Syllabus | Opinion

Get the Rice v. Cayetano Case:
Syllabus | Opinion | Concurrence (Breyer) | Dissent (Stevens) | Dissent (Ginsburg)

Relevant Links:
Federal Judicial Nominees, DOJ - http://www.usdoj.gov/olp/nominations.htm
NARF-NCAI Tribal Supreme Court Project - http://www.narf.org/sct/index.html

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