On October 31, 2005, President George W. Bush nominated Samuel Alito for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Alito's nomination was confirmed by a 58–42 vote of the United States Senate on January 31, 2006. Alito was a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit at the time of his nomination to the Court. He had been appointed to that position by the president's father, President George H. W. Bush in 1990. Leonard Leo played a crucial role in successfully shepherding Alito's appointment through the Senate. White House announcement On October 31, 2005, President George W. Bush nominated Samuel Alito, a federal appeals court judge with a conservative record, to succeed retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on the United States Supreme Court. The announcement came four days after the president's initial choice, Harriet Miers, withdrew herself from the confirmation process. Before Bush chose Miers, Alito's name was among those frequently mentioned a possible candidate for the seat. In announcing Alito's nomination, Bush stated, "He's scholarly, fair-minded and principled and these qualities will serve him well on the highest court in the land. [His record] reveals a thoughtful judge who considers the legal merits carefully and applies the law in a principled fashion. He has a deep understanding of the proper role of judges in our society. He understands judges are to interpret the laws, not to impose their preferences or priorities on the people." Alito, in accepting the nomination, said, "Federal judges have the duty to interpret the Constitution and the laws faithfully and fairly, to protect the constitutional rights of all Americans, and to do these things with care and with restraint, always keeping in mind the limited role that the courts play in our constitutional system. And I pledge that if confirmed I will do everything within my power to fulfill that responsibility." Reaction to the nomination The American Civil Liberties Union formally opposed Alito's nomination. The ACLU has only taken this step three other times in its entire history, the last time having been with the nomination of Robert Bork who was rejected by a 58–42 vote in the Senate. In releasing their report on Alito, ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero justified the decision by saying that "At a time when our president has claimed unprecedented authority to spy on Americans