On Site Report: The Judicial Crisis Press Conference and Rally (09 May)Reported from the Mansfield Room (Room 207) of the US Capitol in Washington, DC.
Posted on 05/10/2002 3:50:44 PM PDT by Skeet
On Site Report: The Judicial Crisis Press Conference and Rally (09 May)
Reported from the Mansfield Room (Room 207) of the US Capitol in Washington, DC.
To an overflow crowd wearing “Remember Bork” and “Remember Pickering" stickers, Republican Senators and a broadening coalition of local and national organizations called upon the Senate Democrats to stop the smear campaign against qualified judicial nominees. This chorus of national advocates from the Family Research Council to the Log Cabin Republicans appealed to Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle to end his obstructionist campaign.
“Just plain wrong!” Senator Orrin Hatch expressed the sentiments of most in attendance regarding the one-year anniversary of President Bush’s first judicial nominations. Eight of these eleven nominees have yet to receive a hearing from the Senate Judiciary Committee now lead by Senator Leahy (D-VT). Asking for fairness, Senator Nickles (R-OK) requested that the Democrats, “Treat the nominees with respect.” Closing out the remarks, Senate Minority Leader Lott (R-MS) promised legislative action but when pressed by the attending media, he refused to get into specifics or just how far he was willing to go against the actions of the Democratic leadership.
But not all attendees would be swayed. An unnamed print reporter (I am doing my best to find the name and organization of this individual) was belligerent in asking the attending Republican Senators where were they when similar Clinton judicial candidates were being delayed. As Senator Allen (R-VA) stepped forward to respond, I turned to someone in the crowd and asked if the gentleman was a Democratic operative. The person shrugged his shoulders and responded that it was just a local reporter. I don’t know if I was more amazed at the resignation in the response or the fact that it was a member of our non-partisan press. I turned to Nick Danger to get his reaction but his facial expressions said it all. Having just arrived in DC, he appeared to be reconsidering his move.
So what are the facts regarding this issue? Both sides are doing their fair share of spinning this issue and with a compromised press, it is sometimes difficult to get a clear picture. I have located two sources of information (one Republican, one Democrat) for you to review:
Taken from a lecture delivered on April 22, 2002 at the Heritage Foundation entitled The State of the Judicial Confirmation Process, Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) made note of a disturbing fact. “…I am not big on conspiracy theories. But The New York Times reported last year that some Democrats discussed a strategy for systematically stopping the President's judicial nominees at an April 2001 retreat, which was attended by liberal law professors, such as Larry Tribe. More specifically, the Times reported that a topic at this retreat was changing the ground rules on confirming judges. Since then, we have seen changes in both the substantive and procedural standards by which the Judiciary Committee considers judicial nominees.”
Senator McCConnell goes on to build a chilling case on how the Democrats have changed the standards for confirming judges and on using political ideology to screen judicial nominees.
The Democrats have their own version or events. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) put forth in his press statement yesterday that, “The surge in vacancies created on the Republicans' watch is being cleaned up under Democratic leadership in the Senate. Through a variety of good-faith steps that Senate Democrats have taken, the judicial nominations process today is markedly faster and fairer than it has been.” “…there has been some talk recently about the fact that a hearing has not yet been scheduled for Miguel Estrada, a nominee to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. But I have here a letter from the heads of five of the most important Latino civil rights organizations in the country, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund; the National Puerto Rican Coalition; the National Council of La Raza; and, the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, asking the committee not to consider Mr. Estrada's nomination at least until after the August recess while these organizations assess his record.” (Mr. Estrada is one of the original eleven judicial nominees by President Bush). “And that's just one of many letters I have here voicing concern about so many of President Bush's controversial nominees.”
This fight is not going away any time soon. Considering the statements released yesterday, the underlying message being sent is that the Democrats should be cautious of their slim hold on the Senate and that President Bush’s judicial nominees should receive a fair hearing and full Senate vote. Here are a few excerpts from the many press releases we received:
Citizens for a Sound Economy President Paul Beckner declared, “We now have almost ninety vacancies on the federal bench. This isn’t a political game – a functioning, fair and impartial judiciary is at stake and the Senate Majority Leader is content to let it go on and on. It is appalling and indefensible.”
The Second Amendment Sisters in their press release “…asks the Senate majority to stop applying its own (and special interest group’s) ideological litmus test to the judicial nominees. The role of ‘Advice and Consent’ is clear and limited. The ‘Litmus Test’ for Conservatism amounts to discrimination against fair-minded judges and those who would come before them in court. This unnecessarily induced shortage of judges will eventually affect all Americans.”
Citizens Against Government Waste President Tom Schatz said, “The country expects better from its leaders and will not look kindly on politicians who abuse the appointment process to score partisan points. Let the full Senate have its say.”
Connie Mackey, Vice president of Government Affairs for the Family Research Council, “…under Tom Daschle and Pat Leahy, the Senate has adopted a pro-abortion political litmus test. They are seeking to politicize the courts, demanding that nominees adhere to liberal political opinions. It’s time for the Borking of good men and women to stop.”
Kay Daly, spokesperson for the Coalition for a Fair Judiciary stated, “The President has the constitutionally-given right to appoint whomever he deems to be qualified for the bench. The Senate’s role is advise and consent, not advise and obstruct.”
Leni
They were pinged -- the original thread is here.
If you want to be contacted about FR Network events in DC, freepmail Skeet.
Since you've only been at FR a month, you probably aren't on his list.
According to Rush - Clinton nominated 20 and got 19 his first year. Bush has nominated 29 and has gotten 11 so far his first year.
That seems just a tad lopsided to me.
Thanks for the effort. I am looking forward to seeing what your legislative liasons create for future Freeps!
Regards,
TS
Regards,
TS
Thanks for all that you do around here!
Regards,
TS
I agree. Since when has making decisions about our Constitution woven from emotional whole cloth ever been a problem for the Dems?
Regards,
TS
According to Rush - Clinton nominated 20 and got 19 his first year. Bush has nominated 29 and has gotten 11 so far his first year.
That seems just a tad lopsided to me.
I don't see it as a fairness issue. To me - in this instance; The Republicans followed the Constitution, and the Democrats ignored it!
Regards,
TS
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