Bill would force high court TV coverage

Specter wants cameras to film proceedings

By WILLIAM TRIPLETT

WASHINGTON -- A senior lawmaker introduced legislation Monday that would force the U.S. Supreme Court to allow television coverage of its proceedings.

"The Supreme Court makes pronouncements on constitutional and federal law that have direct impacts on the rights of Americans," Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Penn.) said in a statement about his bill. "Those rights would be substantially enhanced by televising the oral arguments of the court so that the public can see and hear the issues presented.

"With this information, the public would have insight into key issues and be better equipped to understand the impact of and reasons for the court's decisions," Specter continued.

Under the legislation, a majority of the justices could ban cameras from any proceeding if they felt the rights of any litigants would be hurt or undermined.

Specter, ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee, has been an advocate of opening the court to TV cameras. In 2005, when he was chairman of the committee, he held hearings on the subject. He also queried Justices John Roberts and Samuel Alito on the issue during their confirmation hearings.

Co-sponsors of the bill include Sens. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Russell Feingold (D-Wis.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas).