Deb Riechmann

July 30, 2007 | Law.com

President Bush wants Congress to modernize a law that governs how intelligence agencies monitor the communications of suspected terrorists. Bush noted that terrorists now use disposable cell phones and the Internet to communicate, recruit operatives and plan attacks; such tools were not available when the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, passed nearly 30 years ago.

By Deb Riechmann

4 minute read

November 28, 2001 | Law.com

A federal lawsuit filed Wednesday seeks to block President Bush from implementing controls on the release of historical records that contain insights into White House decision-making. Washington, D.C.-based Public Citizen says the Nov. 1 executive order, giving former presidents more authority to withhold certain papers containing military, diplomatic or national security secrets, violates the 1978 Presidential Records Act.

By Deb Riechmann

3 minute read

February 25, 2004 | The Legal Intelligencer

President Bush backed a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage yesterday, saying he wants to stop activist judges from changing the definition of the most enduring human institution.

By Deb Riechmann

5 minute read

July 19, 2005 | Law.com

President Bush chose D.C. Circuit Judge John G. Roberts Jr. on Tuesday as his first nominee for the Supreme Court, selecting a rock-solid conservative whose nomination could trigger a tumultuous battle over the direction of the nation's highest court, senior administration officials said. Bush offered the position to Roberts in a telephone call Tuesday afternoon, in advance of his formal announcement in a broadcast speech to the nation.

By Deb Riechmann

4 minute read

September 09, 2005 | National Law Journal

Maybe President Bush was just joking to fuel speculation, but conservatives aren't laughing about the playful glance the president directed at Attorney General Alberto Gonzales while saying the list of possible nominees for the Supreme Court was wide open. However, burdened with low poll ratings and stung by criticism of the government's response to Hurricane Katrina, Bush might not have the political standing to try to steer the Court hard right with his second high court nominee.

By Deb Riechmann

4 minute read

October 04, 2005 | National Law Journal

It was over a Sunday dinner that President Bush offered the Supreme Court nomination to Harriet Miers, his counsel and loyal member of his inner circle. Miers already has a string of firsts on her resume, including first woman president of her law firm and of the Texas Bar. A self-described "Texan through and through," she is known for her low profile, her attention to detail and her sweet potato pie. And though she is said to be gracious and warm, Bush once dubbed her "a pit bull in size 6 shoes."

By Deb Riechmann

6 minute read

September 09, 2005 | Law.com

Maybe President Bush was just joking to fuel speculation, but conservatives aren't laughing about the playful glance the president directed at Attorney General Alberto Gonzales while saying the list of possible nominees for the Supreme Court was wide open. However, burdened with low poll ratings and stung by criticism of the government's response to Hurricane Katrina, Bush might not have the political standing to try to steer the Court hard right with his second high court nominee.

By Deb Riechmann

4 minute read

June 13, 2005 | Law.com

Activists on the right and left are priming for a battle supreme. If President Bush nominates the first new Supreme Court justice in more than a decade, a fight is expected to break out within hours of an announcement, and rage over the Internet, on talk shows, through grassroots campaigns -- and, ultimately -- in a Senate showdown. While both sides wait, current debate centers on which side of the aisle has the deeper pockets to fund the war ahead.

By Deb Riechmann

5 minute read

July 18, 2005 | National Law Journal

William Rehnquist's plan to stay on as chief justice clears the way for President Bush to make a swift decision to replace retiring Sandra Day O'Connor. Before Rehnquist's announcement Thursday, there was speculation that Bush was waiting to make a double nomination -- a conservative and someone more moderate -- and defuse a contentious nomination battle. The White House isn't saying when Bush will decide, but court watchers expect some word before month's end, just as Congress starts its August recess.

By Deb Riechmann

5 minute read

July 13, 2005 | National Law Journal

Top Senate Democrats floated the names of potential candidates for the Supreme Court on Tuesday in a meeting with President Bush, describing them as the type of nominee who could avoid a fierce confirmation battle. Several officials familiar with the discussion said Judge Sonia Sotomayor of the 2nd Circuit, Judge Ed Prado of the 5th Circuit, and U.S. District Court Judge Ricardo Hinojosa, all of whom are Hispanic, were among the names mentioned as Bush met with lawmakers from both parties.

By Deb Riechmann

5 minute read