Posted on 07/08/2005 12:48:56 PM PDT by hispanarepublicana
Factions line up for two Texas Hispanics By MICHAEL HEDGES Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON - The two Texas conservative Hispanics seen as among the front-runners for a U.S. Supreme Court nomination are drawing support from different ends of the political spectrum.
Many conservative activists back federal appeals Judge Emilio Garza, while liberals and moderates see U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales as a less extreme option.
As President Bush examines a select list of possible nominees, there is speculation that he would make history by nominating a Hispanic for the first time.
Garza, of San Antonio, tops the list of acceptable Hispanic nominees for right-wing activists in part because of what they view as his like-minded approach to legal issues involving religion and abortion.
The different faction beginning to rally around Houston native Gonzales suggests that what it considers his less strident views would make it easier for him to win Senate confirmation.
Gonzales drew a tepid endorsement Wednesday from the Democratic Senate leader, Harry Reid of Nevada.
"Alberto Gonzales is qualified. He's attorney general of the United States and a former Texas (Supreme Court) judge," Reid said. "But having said that he's qualified, I don't know if he'd have an easy way through."
Michael A. Olivas, a liberal law professor at the University of Houston, has known Gonzales for more than 20 years.
"We're at opposite ends of the political spectrum, but I would never say anything against his qualifications for any office. He is an exceptional lawyer, a man of great conviction and very, very smart," said Olivas.
"He is better prepared by his professional experience and his life experience than virtually anybody who has ever been picked for the Supreme Court."
Conservative criticism The praise for Gonzales, 49, contrasted with criticism from key conservative groups soon after Justice Sandra Day O'Connor announced her retirement, creating the first vacancy on the high court in 11 years.
Some of those groups, including the National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders, swiftly wrote to Bush in support of Garza, 57. Much of the conservative criticism of Gonzales stems from his record on the Texas Supreme Court, where he criticized some fellow justices for opposing a girl's attempt to bypass the state law requiring that her parents be notified she was seeking an abortion.
The criticism of Gonzales drew an angry reaction from Bush on Wednesday during a news briefing in Denmark.
"And all of a sudden this fella, who is a good public servant and a really fine person, is under fire," he said of Gonzales. "And so do I like it? No, I don't like it. At all."
History shows it is impossible to predict how a potential Supreme Court justice will perform after receiving a lifetime appointment. But legal experts have already combed through the written opinions and public statements of Gonzales and Garza.
The consensus: Garza comes across as a hard-line conservative on issues like abortion and the intersection of government and religion. Gonzales appears more flexible on those issues, though still firmly in the conservative camp.
Some groups that had been negative about Gonzales were more restrained Wednesday, including the Concerned Women for America, a conservative advocacy group.
Chief counsel Jan LaRue said Garza has a strong record for "respecting the written Constitution" and refrained from criticizing Gonzales.
LaRue did say that because Gonzales has been attorney general, he might be forced to bow out of some important court cases on issues on which the Justice Department took action under his leadership.
The process of picking a nominee would likely take several weeks, according to presidential political adviser Karl Rove, as quoted in Wednesday's Washington Post.
Ex-senator tapped as guide In anticipation of a bitter battle over any nominee, the White House named former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee to guide the nominee through the confirmation process. Thompson will also bring experience as a prosecutor and actor to his adviser role.
Many experts predict Bush will use either the O'Connor opening, or the one that would arise if ailing Chief Justice William Rehnquist retires, to name a Hispanic to the court, pleasing an ethnic group with rising political power and adding to his legacy by breaking a racial barrier.
In addition to Garza and Gonzales, U.S. District Judge Ricardo Hinojosa of the Southern District of Texas and Miguel Estrada, an attorney Bush nominated for a federal judgeship, have been mentioned as potential Hispanic nominees.
Estrada's nomination was blocked by Senate Democrats.
Stuart Taylor, a legal expert with the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank, said Gonzales has an edge among the Hispanic candidates because of his close friendship with Bush.
"The only reason I can see Garza getting the nod is if for some reason Bush decides that it is better to keep Gonzales as attorney general, or if Gonzales lets it be known he does not want the job," Taylor said.
Gonzales worked as personal counsel for Bush in his roles as Texas governor and president. He won confirmation as attorney general in February.
As White House counsel, Gonzales wrote and reviewed a series of memos on terrorism detainees that liberal critics said showed a lack of respect for human rights.
Some wary of Garza Garza was first named as a potential high court pick 14 years ago when the staff of the first President Bush interviewed him for the Supreme Court seat that eventually went to Clarence Thomas.
Some of Garza's perceived views have kept moderate Hispanic groups from endorsing him.
Brent Wilkes, the executive director of the League of United Latin American Citizens, the nation's largest Hispanic advocacy group, said LULAC strongly endorses Gonzales and not Garza.
"Alberto Gonzales would be a very good pick. He is conservative, but well within the mainstream," Wilkes said. "We don't support Emilio Garza. We think he is just too conservative, too ideological."
If LULAC endorses Gonzalez, then he's way too liberal and "Chicano" for me.
Garza & Estrada. This is the president's best duo to send to Scotus, bar none.
I like my old Marine Garza, but to tell the truth, that old boy Roy Moore, now he's got some CONJONES too. He stood up for what he believed in against overwhelming odds and it just so happens its what I believe in too.
Roy Moore graduated from Etowah High School in 1965 and obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1969 from the United States Military Academy at West Point. After military service, Judge Moore returned to Alabama, where he completed his Juris Doctorate Degree in 1977 from the University of Alabama School of Law.
Judge Moore served our Country as a Captain in the Military Police Corps of the United States Army. He also served as Battalion Staff Officer at Ft. Riley, Kansas, and as a Company Commander in Vietnam.
Bush needs to send a 100 percent conservative, but just to make sure, I suggest he send someone who is 110 percent.
NO, Poor timing. Not just no but Hell No!!!
Isn't one of the knocks on Gonzales is that he deemed that torture was acceptable at Gitmo (or something to that effect?)
I'd endorse an old-fashion Tejano. Wonder if there might be a qualified latino who would publicly describe himself or herself as a Tejano? Intrigues me . . .
Why is this bad timing? I'm no SCOTUS expert (to say the least), but it seems like a brilliant play:
- Two conservative jurists, one of them wrongly spurned by Democrats.
- No allegations of either being a "token" since there are two of them.
- It would surprise and confound the Dem strategists.
- Politically, you solidify the conservative base, possibly expand the Hispanic vote.
- Any attacks on either would be totally unfair and would highlight Dem hatred of minorities that aren't liberal.
- I'm not sure if both are Catholic, but if the Dems attack their pro-life stances, it would look like them bashing religion again.
Seems like a winner to me.
i thought the GOP and Bush hates minorities? i'm confused. moveon.org and charley rangle and jesse jackson and al sharpton and Calypso Louie Farakook have said that we are all racists.
Benjamin Nathan Cardozo was the first Hispanic justice (1932-38).
Perhaps I have to rethink my base. I am not without logistical intelligence. I do however see some blatantly "hispanic issues" that are going to be dealt with by the Supremes. I think the reason we are in so much trouble on the border now is because we are catering to the "hispanic population" of this country, be it legal or illegal. Sooner or later someone is going to have to make a stand on this issue. I think perhaps the timing is very very wrong.
When Mr Gonzales starts paying attn to the border perhaps I will change my mind.
I gotcha now. You are using the Iberian peninusula connection which his ancestors came from and immigrated to the US in the mid 1700s....
Absolutely. The press is acting like Gonzo would be a slam dunk and that is total BS. The left-wing crazies like Daily Kos and DU would never tolerate the Democrats allowing him on SCOTUS. They are all convinced he spends his weekends at the local Falafel Hut, grabbing olive-skinned cooks from the kitchen and pulling out their fingernails. He (wrongly) represents everything they hate about the war and they will try to destroy him.
These two strikes will actually unify the right and the left in opposition. Both bases will be ticked – no good for anyone.
That's the problem with descriptions like Hispanic, they can mean everybody and nobody. In some context, the person need not even speak Spanish.
No gottcha, but yes thats true. Very good.
That's the problem with descriptions like Hispanic, they can mean everybody and nobody. In some context, the person need not even speak Spanish.
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