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Story from BBC
NEWS:
Bush 'picks judge for top court'
President George W Bush will nominate federal appeals court judge
Samuel Alito to the US Supreme Court on Monday, US media reports
say.
Mr Alito has a long judicial record and is seen as a staunch conservative.
Mr Bush's first choice, Harriet Miers, withdrew following opposition from both Democrats and conservative Republicans.
The new nomination comes at a tense time for the White House, with a senior aide to the vice-president having been indicted in connection with a CIA leak.
If appointed to the Supreme Court, 55-year-old Mr Alito would take the place of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, seen as holding a key swing vote.
The nomination is expected to be officially announced at 1300 GMT.
'Create problems'
Mr Alito is considered a quiet and reserved member of the federal appeals courts, sitting on the Third Circuit in Philadelphia.
From New Jersey and of Italian background, he was appointed to the bench in 1990 by the first President George Bush.
He is known for consistently conservative judgements, leading commentators to compare him to current Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid told CNN on Sunday that a nomination for Mr Alito would "create a lot of problems".
Mr Reid and other Democrats urged the president to pick a consensus candidate rather than bowing to pressure from conservative Republicans.
The justices of the Supreme Court have immense power and are appointed until they die, resign or are impeached.
They can overrule politicians and declare the decision of the president unconstitutional.
In the near future, the court is expected to consider some of America's most bitterly contested social issues, including assisted suicide, abortion, same-sex marriage, human cloning and campaign finance law.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/americas/4392540.stm
Published: 2005/10/31 12:11:07 GMT
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