Posted on 11/18/2004 3:16:27 PM PST by Ed Current
Despite a strong campaign by conservative opponents, Republican Sen. Arlen Specter won support of his colleagues to chair the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Outgoing chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, told reporters at a news conference today the panel's Republican members unanimously backed the Pennsylvania senator, known for his liberal stance on many issues.
"I have assured the president that I would give his nominees quick committee hearings and early committee votes," Specter said.
The Judiciary Committee screens White House nominations to the Supreme Court and other posts on the federal bench.
The official vote, which will not be made until January, can be appealed by the full caucus of 55 Senate Republicans, but the nine GOP members of the panel said they would stand behind Specter.
As WorldNetDaily previously reported, controversial remarks by Specter, cautioning President Bush against nominating Supreme Court justices who would overturn the Roe vs. Wade abortion decision, sparked a furious outcry from Bush's large conservative and evangelical support base, spawning a movement to ensure he did not ascend to the panel's chairmanship.
Prior to today's announcement, Specter drafted a pledge to ensure quick nomination hearings and votes on Bush's judicial nominees, regardless of their stance on abortion.
But in two newspaper interviews before the election, Specter promised to block pro-life and "extremist" judges appointed by Bush.
A third paper, the Philadelphia Inquirer, endorsed the pro-abortion senator largely because of his anticipated position on the panel.
The current controversy began when the Associated Press quoted Specter saying, "When you talk about judges who would change the right of a woman to choose, overturn Roe vs. Wade, I think that is unlikely. The president is well aware of what happened, when a number of his nominees were sent up, with the filibuster. ... And I would expect the president to be mindful of the considerations which I am mentioning."
After an outburst of outrage from conservative groups, Specter issued a statement Nov. 4 insisting he did not send a warning to Bush.
"I did not warn the president about anything and was very respectful of his constitutional authority on the appointment of federal judges," Specter said.
"As the record shows, I have supported every one of President Bush's nominees in the Judiciary Committee and on the Senate floor. I have never and would never apply any litmus test on the abortion issue and, as the record shows, I have voted to confirm Chief Justice Rehnquist, Justice O'Connor, and Justice Kennedy and led the fight to confirm Justice Thomas."
A website named NotSpecter.com emerged to help rally the opposition, which included prominent evangelical Christian groups such as Focus on the Family, Family Research Council and Concerned Women for America.
The ABC News weblog The Note reported conservatives against Specter were telephoning Republican leadership offices, including Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, and members of the judiciary committee at a rate of about two to three per minute.
According to rules established by the majority party, the committee chairman is chosen by a secret-ballot vote of the Republican members of the panel. The nod traditionally goes to the senior member, but the rules specify any member can be selected. The entire conference must then approve the committee's pick by another secret ballot, although rejection is rare.
Related stories:
Rabbis, gun owners oppose Specter
Specter promised to block Bush judges
Movement arises to block Specter
Thanks for the ping!
No problem, Ma'am.
"Without the influence and treachery of Bush and Santorum ..." You're over the top. Stop it. Treachery is a word not to be used so easily in describing a president who is the best we've had in office since RR. You marginalize yourself by writing such foolishness.
You have to care what others 'think' of you to suffer humiliation. Snarlin' Arlen is above that...acting contrite maybe (with acting being the operative phrase).
Specter is very proud,
That about sums this whole mess up. Arlen's pride and ego (IMO) made him fire his salvo at President Bush on November 3. From watching the Scottish one over the years, I think this was/is his chance at his legacy (Arlen can no doubt can already see his name on a Federal Building somewhere in the Commonwealth for starters). The next 30 or so years of the US Supreme Court were/are to be the 'Specter Court'...not the Bush Court. That is why he shot his mouth off in the first place. Arlen was thinking he was the big dog...and was staking his territory. He is also a lame duck (he would be over 80 if he ran again in 6 years) so, the Pubbies are going to be dealing with the results of this for a long time.
You marginalize
The pro-life message is marginalized by those who don't.
Have you met Askel5 ?
Oh man! What can I say.
Have you met Askel5 ?
Askel5 has 20/20 vision on pro-life politicians.
Others should see her posts for a check up.
The bottom line is that if pro-lifers don't start taking the issue of abortion seriously, the politicians never will.
If abortion is murder, in the U.S. it is mass murder on a scale that greatly exceeds the Jewish Holocaust.
Compromise on whatever, but not on LIFE!
Pro-lifers need to force the politicians to use every constitutional means to attack abortion, not just the highly unlikely appointment of judges who would opine against Roe.
It needs to be priority #1, not just a cheaply expendable item on a long list of other things to do.
I was hinting at Askel's hatred toward Bush and the Bush family. She tends to jump over the top when she stirs on a Bush thread.
So much for Republican testicals being out of the lockbox.
Dammit! I was so looking forward to Snarlin' Arlen getting put in his place -- on the back bench, so to speak!
I agree with what you are saying. So should we still call the senators, etc., or wait till he "disobeys?"
Hopefully he has learned he has to play by our rules or we will hand him his ball and send him home! I won't hold my breath though.
You MUST . . BE . . . JOKING! He's chairman of the committeee. What's anyone going to do now? The other folks, here, have it exactly right. This politics is just a game to the rich folks who play it. They feel far more in common with each other than with anyone who dares vote for them. And I think we'll see more of this, in future, until about 9-10 months out of the 06 midterm elections. Then they'll remember the voters again.
What this means - and you HAVE to understand this - is that if Spectre decides to go RINO on any nomination, then expect criticism from people on FR and everywhere else saying not just I told you so, but get it right - or else.
This was a conservative election victory. The libs lost. And if they still don't get that, people like myself will continue to remind them.
Wait until the bright lights go out. THEN see what he does.
Exactly!
Just today I phoned Sessions's and Cronyn's offices. It was Cronyn's office that told me that if Specter didn't tow the line he would be removed. That's the aide speaking but he said he spoke for Senator Cronyn. I'm going to be watching this like a hawk. I think everyone else should, too.
I worked hard getting Bush elected and already the president is saying the wrong thing with regards to immigration, we have Specter as chairman and who knows what's next. The RNC is already asking me for money. Someone posted here that he would only be giving to conservative candidates and I will be doing the same. I'm really tired of the Republicans. I just can't give up on them.
These senators are disgusting!
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