O’Connor dives into new job

WASHINGTON (AP) – It was a dramatic moment in American history the first time a woman has served on the bench of the U.S. Supreme Court – but Sandra Day O’Connor handled it with the same aplomb she exhibited during her Senate confirmation hearings. As the court began its new term Monday, the 51-year-old former Arizona appeals court judge showed no reluctance in making her public debut as a working Supreme Court justice. Her first inquiry from the bench – regarding a complex offshore oil and natural gas leasing case – came little more than a half hour into the first oral argument. “Mr. Silard, may I ask a question ?” Justice O’Connor said at 10: 46 a.m, John Silard, arguing on behalf of the Energy Action Educational Foundation, already had asked several other justices to delay their questions until he finished a point. He did the same with the court’s 102nd justice, saying: “Just a minute, your honor.” After answering a previous question from the bench, Silard invited O’Connor to proceed. “It isn’t clear, is it, that even if California wins here, that the secretary (of the Interior) would use the bidding system California prefers,” she asked. “The secretary would still be free to use other experiments.” Her question referred to California’s bid in the case to obtain an offshore oil and natural gas leasing system that would yield greater revenue for the state. The views of the educational foundation Silard represents are essentially the same as those held by the state of California.