Senators want to know more about Supreme Court nominee

Idaho’s Senate delegation offered support Monday for President Bush’s latest Supreme Court nominee while Washington’s senators said they wanted to know more.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said she doesn’t know much about Harriet Miers, but planned to apply the same standards to her as for all federal judges – can they be fair, listen to all sides and apply the law?

The fact that Miers has never been a judge should not be a major barrier, Murray said. Her former seatmate, Republican Sen. Slade Gorton, often said the problem with judges is that when they go on the bench they lose some touch with normal life experiences, she recalled.

“It will be important for the administration to give us as much information as possible about someone who’s getting a lifetime appointment,” said Murray, who voted last week to confirm John Roberts as the chief justice.

Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., voted against Roberts’ confirmation, but Monday said she had not decided on Miers. “I look forward to learning more about her as the process moves forward,” Cantwell told the Associated Press.

Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, said he also is eager to learn more about Miers and her philosophy, and applauded Bush’s quick action on the nomination.

“Harriet Miers has an impressive legal talent with a reputation for hard work,” Craig said in a press release.

Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, called it “a good nomination” and said he is “impressed by the information I’ve reviewed.” On his Senate Web site, Crapo said he hoped Miers would receive bipartisan support in committee hearings and the full Senate.