Samuel Alito, former federal appellate judge and lawyer for President Reagan, was sworn in Tuesday as the 110th U.S. Supreme Court Justice after confirmation from the Senate.
The 58-42 Senate vote that confirmed Alito as retiring Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s replacement is one of the most partisan votes in recent history. Only four Democrats voted to confirm Alito.
The confirmation is the culmination of a failed Democratic filibuster attempt Monday and months of scrutiny of Alito’s stance on the landmark Roe v. Wade abortion rights case.
Under Reagan’s administration, Alito authored a 1985 document that said the Department of Justice should focus on small steps to challenge the Roe v. Wade ruling.
“What can be made of this opportunity to advance the goals of bringing about the eventual overruling … and in the meantime of mitigating its effects?” Alito wrote.
Kevin Mulcahy, professor of political science and public administration, said a “clever” Republican strategy allowed Alito to be confirmed.
“They let the Democrats go after him,” Mulcahy said. “The Democrats came off as being very strident. Alito didn’t show any rough edges.”
Mulcahy described Alito as “dependably conservative” and said his narrow confirmation points to the politically divisive state of the nation.
“The country is very split,” Mulcahy said.
However, Mulcahy said he speculates that Alito would not support overturning Roe v. Wade.
“I think that overturning Roe v. Wade would cause a constitutional crisis,” Mulcahy said. “It has been accepted as the law of the land.”
Student reaction to Alito’s confirmation is mixed.
Nicholas Mitchell, first-year history graduate student, said he is disappointed with Alito’s confirmation.
“Alito is known to be very conservative if he sticks to party lines,” Mitchell said. “[The Supreme Court] may try to overturn Roe v. Wade.”
Mitchell said the Supreme Court’s potential rulings on social and civil issues could violate citizens’ rights.
“This worries me,” Mitchell said. “If you take away a woman’s right to choose, things could get very dangerous with homemade abortions.”
Jeff Smith, electrical engineering senior, said he is “very happy” Alito was confirmed but disappointed the vote ran along party lines.
“I’m very disappointed in the Democratic no-votes,” Smith said. “Especially with Mary Landrieu.”
Smith said Democratic senators should have dismissed party-line bias and voted to confirm an “extremely qualified” candidate.
“I think the left is afraid,” Smith said. “But I still think the Court is weighted to the left.”
Smith declined to comment about Roe v. Wade, but said states should control most social policy.
Ana Iombo, marketing freshman from Angola, Africa, supports Alito’s confirmation, despite her self-described political stance of “ultra-liberal.”
“He’s a better candidate than John Roberts was,” Iombo said. “I think the Democrats are just not agreeing because they won’t agree with anything Bush supports.”
Iombo said Alito will be an excellent justice because he stands for family values.
“It’s the Supreme Court,” Iombo said. “You can’t just put anyone in there.”
 
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