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WASHINGTON, Aug 19, 2005 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- U.S. Supreme court nominee John Roberts advised President Reagan against supporting the Equal Rights Amendment, newly released documents show.
Roberts was selected by President Bush to replaced Sandra Day O'Connor, who announced her resignation July 1. Since the nomination, a detailed search of Roberts' legal writings has been taking place to determine his judicial philosophy. Thursday's release of some 38,000 pages of documents was one of the largest of such information.
The documents, covering the period of 1982-86 when Roberts was associate counsel to Reagan, show a consistent stance against "the purported gender gap," the ERA and advancement of women's rights, The Washington Post reported Friday.
The Post said the document also showed Roberts, 50, criticizing ideas such as a California proposal that women be paid the same as men when doing state jobs and a Florida initiative that women pay less in college tuition because of less potential earning power.
While the documents would seem to dampen Roberts' chances of joining the Supreme Court, earlier this week the American Bar Association rated him "well qualified" for the job.
The U.S. Senate is to take up Roberts' nomination Sept. 6.
Copyright 2005 by United Press International.
