Hearings Begin With Questions About Abortion

Democratic Senators Challenge Roberts on Civil Right, Gender-Discrimination Laws

By William Branigin

Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 13, 2005; 7:48 PM

John G. Roberts Jr., appearing before a Senate panel considering his nomination to be the new chief justice, immediately ran into questioning today about the Supreme Court's landmark decision on abortion and said he considers it not only "settled law" but a precedent worthy of respect.

Answering questions from Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Roberts also said he believes the U.S. Constitution protects a right to privacy and repudiated a view expressed more than two decades ago in a memo in which he referred to a "so-called" right to privacy in the charter.