Posted on 11/22/2003 9:30:04 AM PST by rightcoast
In an editorial on November 14, the Wall Street Journal published information about memos from the offices of Senate Democrats in 2001, in which plans and strategies were outlined to oppose the judicial nominations of Miguel Estrada, Priscilla Owen, and others.
Analysis and the complete text of these leaked memos can be found here, at the Coalition for a Fair Judiciary (PDF format, 2 MB).
These memos show a planned, organized effort to stop the nominations of "dangerous" candidates like Miguel Estrada -- dangerous, by the memo's own admission "because he is Latino, and the White House seems to be grooming him for a Supreme Court appointment."
This is obviously an outrageous comment to be found in a memo, but one of the more interesting things I found was a peek behind the scenes of Senate Democrat operations. What I and anyone reading can find out is absolute, laid-out proof of the special interest groups that are the power behind the throne of the Senate Democrats.
All of the people and/or groups are listed in these memos, at least once (most are listed multiple times in different memos) as suggesting or directing the nominations or delaying of hearings of judicial nominees:
Elaine Jones, President & Director-Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense Fund
Leslie Proll, Assistant Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense Fund
Wade Henderson, Executive Director, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR)
Ralph Neas, President, People for the American Way
Nancy Zirkin, Director of Public Policy (former, now with LCCR), American Association of University Women
Nan Aron, President, Alliance for Justice
Kate Michelman, President, National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL)
Allison Herwitt, Director of Government Relations, NARAL
Marcia Greenberger, Co-President, National Women's Law Center
Judy Lichtman, President, National Parternship for Women & Families
Andy Stern, Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)
Read the memos yourself. Senators were not instructed to meet with these people politely. From one of the memos itself, "The groups should be encouraged to propose some specific nominees who can be moved forward adjournment." Meaning, the Senators were being told by their staff to ask the groups' permission for which nominees they can OK!
They're ruled by special interest. That's the difference. They're liars and manipulators. Social psychology 101 and they're off and running. No ethics, no morality, nothing but hunger.
Republicans have a philosophy. Democrats have groups that must be fed. It's not fair to use the term "special interest" when talking about Republicans compared to Democrats. It's apples and oranges..
The argument could be made that the Republican Party caters to certain special interest groups (NRA, etc.), but I have no doubt that memos of this type from Republican Senators would be front-page news, in the editorial pages, and all over television.
The argument could be made that the Republican Party caters to certain special interest groups (NRA, etc.), but I have no doubt that memos of this type from Republican Senators would be front-page news, in the editorial pages, and all over television. 4 posted on 11/22/2003 6:02 PM EST by rightcoast
They're ruled by special interest. That's the difference. They're liars and manipulators. Social psychology 101 and they're off and running. No ethics, no morality, nothing but hunger.
Republicans have a philosophy. Democrats have groups that must be fed. It's not fair to use the term "special interest" when talking about Republicans compared to Democrats. It's apples and oranges..
The argument could be made that the Republican Party caters to certain special interest groups (NRA, etc.), but I have no doubt that memos of this type from Republican Senators would be front-page news, in the editorial pages, and all over television. 4 posted on 11/22/2003 6:02 PM EST by rightcoast
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