Alito Disavows Controversial Group

White House spokesman Steve Schmitt said Kennedy was "attributing to the judge words he never said or wrote and explicitly repudiates" because the Democrats were "unable to challenge Judge Alito's mastery of the law and his stellar 15-year record on the appellate court."

Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) read aloud the comments of 1975 Princeton graduate Diane Weeks, who had worked for Alito when he was U.S. attorney in New Jersey.

"When I saw Concerned Alumni of Princeton on that 1985 job application, I was flabbergasted," Durbin quoted Weeks as saying in the Nation magazine. "I was totally stunned. I couldn't believe it. CAP made it clear to women like me we were not wanted on campus. And he is touting his membership in this group in 1985, 13 years after he graduated? He's not a young man at this point. . . . I'm very troubled by this and if I were in the Senate, I would want some answers."

Alito responded that Weeks was "one of many women whom I hired when I was U.S. attorney. And I think that illustrates my attitude toward equality for women."

In an interview yesterday, Weeks said: "The reason I'm flabbergasted is that from my personal experience with Sam, he does not discriminate against women, minorities or anyone else. He is a merit-based thinker. That's who he is. I cannot understand for the life of me why he would have even associated himself with Concerned Alumni of Princeton."

At Kennedy's request, and with Alito's blessing, Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) said the panel will examine the group's records to get "all the facts." The records are in the Library of Congress in the private papers of William Rusher, a former publisher of National Review magazine. Rusher allowed the New York Times to review the records last year, and the newspaper found no evidence that Alito was active in the organization or was a major donor to it.

Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) called the attacks on Alito "guilt by association," adding, "I am sorry that your family has had to sit here and listen to this." Alito's wife, Martha-Ann, left the room in tears, returning after a break.

Staff writer Jo Becker contributed to this report.