Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-New York), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said on Sunday that U.S. Supreme Court nominee Harriet E. Miers lacks the votes to be confirmed.

Schumer said Miers lacks support from both Republicans and Democrats. He said she wouldn't get enough votes to make it out of the committee much less on the Senate floor.

Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pennsylvania), the chairman of the committee, said other senators are waiting for Miers' confirmation hearings before making up their minds. The hearings will start November 7.

Miers is already facing many doubts, particularly from Republicans, about her record, experience and views. Specter and Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vermont), the top Democrat on the Judiciary panel, have asked her to resubmit a questionnaire in which she claimed knowledge of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and tribal sovereignty. They said her answers to many questions were not complete.

Miers also faces fire from conservatives who are not convinced of her credentials. As one example, they are upset that she promoted affirmative action for minority and female lawyers when she was president of the Texas State Bar Association. Conservatives said she supports race-based quotas, which have been the subject of recent Supreme Court cases.

Get the Story:
Schumer: Miers Lacks Votes to Be Confirmed (AP 10/24)
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Judiciary Panel May Ask Dobson to Testify (The Washington Post 10/24)
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Bush Choice Gets Criticisms Rare for Nominees to Court (The New York Times 10/24)
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Miers Backed Race, Sex Set-Asides (The Washington Post 10/22)
Texas Senator Takes Exception to Criticism of Supreme Court Nominee's Record (The New York Times 10/22)

Miers Senate Questionnaire:
Text | PDF

Relevant Links:
Texas State Lottery - http://www.txlottery.org
Judicial Nominations, White House - http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/judicialnominees

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