Durbin: Roberts A Hired Gun

The latest stupidity from Dick Durbin just in, courtesy of WaPo's hearings blog:

Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) expressed concern that Roberts, as a lawyer, will "play with any team that wants you to play," that the first client who comes to him is the client he will ultimately represent. To some extent, Roberts agreed. In the gay rights case from Colorado (Romer), for example, he would have represented Colorado had the state come to him first.

Roberts, while saying the concept of being a "hired gun" was a negative way to put it, agreed that the cause and the nature of the client was not that relevant to him. He believed every client was entitled to solid representation.

"If you'll play with any team that wants you to play," said Durbin, it raises questions about where "you draw the line."

He has been asked if he's "on the side of the little guy," Roberts said. "If the Constitution says the little guy should win, that's what I'll do." If it says the little guy loses, he would go that way. It's not a matter of little guy or big guy but of the proper interpretation of the law and Constitution.

As is so often the case when Roberts is questioned, he delivers an answer that makes him look like the ideal Supreme Court chief justice.