Specter wins Judiciary support

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Arlen Specter won the support of the Senate Judiciary Committee's Republicans to be their chairman next year, surviving complaints from abortion opponents who lobbied to skip over him in favor of a conservative, Thursday.\n"I have assured the president that I would give his nominees quick committee hearings and early committee votes," Specter said at a news conference where outgoing chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said the panel's Republicans were unanimous in backing the Pennsylvania moderate.\n"I have no reason to believe that I'll be unable to support any individual President Bush finds worthy" of the federal bench, Specter told reporters.\nHe read from a statement he wrote that was cleared painstakingly in advance by committee members as well as the GOP leadership. The leaders are determined to confirm Bush's second-term judicial nominees, possibly including a Supreme Court vacancy.\nEven so, Specter said he felt no pressure to make the commitments he made.\nAn official vote won't come until January, and can still be appealed to the full 55-member GOP caucus.\nBut all nine Judiciary Republicans agreed they would stand behind Specter in next January's vote for chairman despite his postelection statement pointing out anti-abortion judges would have a difficult time gaining Senate confirmation, given Democratic opposition.\nSpecter's comments infuriated abortion opponents, and Senate conservatives -- during meetings arranged by GOP leadership -- have subjected him in recent days to an extraordinary grilling on his views and intentions.\nThe agreement by committee members to support Specter "represents the views of people at this time, on this day," said Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala.\nBut several prominent GOP senators, including many committee chairmen who attained their posts through seniority, have already said they intend to vote for Specter.\nSpecter promised to do his best to stop Democrats from blocking more of Bush's nominees. In the last four years, Democrats have been successful in halting 10 judicial nominees through threats of a filibuster, while allowing more than 200 to be confirmed.\n"I have already registered my opposition to the filibuster and will use my best efforts to stop any future filibusters," Specter said. "It is my hope and expectation that we can avoid" future gridlock with next year's 55-45 Republican Senate majority.