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KPFA radio will continue its live broadcast of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s confirmation hearings for Attorney General nominee John Ashcroft through Thursday.  

The broadcast of the hearings began Tuesday morning. 

Phil Osejueda, assistant general manager and development, said the broadcast is in the tradition of other controversial hearings KPFA has broadcast, dating to the hearings for Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork.  

“We feel that a lot of listeners are interested in this particular situation,” he said. 

When asked what he thinks about John Ashcroft, Osejueda said, “He has too much baggage. He has a lot of opinions that are contrary to laws that are on the books right now.”  

He went on to say that he believes Ashcroft could have trouble enforcing laws that go against his own morals.  

Conservatives, however, have argued that Ashcroft’s clean record proves he will uphold all the laws in the United States.  

Bob Strawn, representative of the Northern Alameda County Republican Committee, did not return calls for comment. 

The coverage of the confirmation hearings will be anchored by Larry Bensky, a familiar voice on KPFA, who most notably covered the Iran-Contra hearings in 1987.  

During the broadcast Tuesday, Bensky said he believes it should be KPFA’s mission to bring important events like the Ashcroft hearings to the people. Bensky called Ashcrofts nomination, “the first controversy of the Bush administration.”  

Bensky will also welcome a variety of progressive analysts and commentators during the broadcasts.  

The live broadcast will likely get under way by 7 a.m. KPFA is located at 94.1 FM. The broadcast can also be heard on the Internet.