Opening statement - Durbin

Using MS Word to summarize Durbin's opening statement:

Judge Roberts, if you're confirmed, you will be the first Supreme Court justice in the 21st century. Judge Frank Johnson was denounced as a judicial activist and threatened with impeachment.

He had the courage to expand freedom in America.

So it's important for you at this hearing to answer the questions and to tell us your views on civil rights and equality and the role of courts in protecting these basic freedoms.

The Supreme Court has always been the guardian of our Constitution. That challenge will fall especially on our Supreme Court and on you, Judge Roberts, if you're confirmed.

Your position as Supreme Court justice, chief justice, gives you extraordinary power: to appoint 11 judges on the FISA court, which has the authority to issue warrants for searches and wiretaps of American citizens, all the way to the establishment of rules of criminal and civil procedure.

No one has the right to sit on that court. No one has the right to be chief justice.