Leftists Target Judicial Nominee with Anti-Catholic Bigotry

American Conservative Union ^ | 2 Jul 04 | ACU

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Leftists Target Judicial Nominee with Anti-Catholic Bigotry

ACU calls on Senators to reject liberal demands to impose an unconstitutional religious test for public office

Alexandria, VA – The American Conservative Union today called upon the U.S. Senate to reject the anti-Catholic bigotry directed at James Leon Holmes, nominee to the federal district court from Arkansas. President Bush nominated Mr. Holmes to the federal bench 17 months ago. His nomination is scheduled for a vote Tuesday, July 6.

"The usual gang of leftist special-interest groups, feminists, abortion advocates and radical secularists have attacked Mr. Holmes because of his Catholic faith," said Richard Lessner, executive director of ACU.

"Mr. Holmes and his wife wrote an article in 1997 for a Catholic magazine on the roles of men and women in a Christian marriage. The article was based on the New Testament book of Ephesians and was entirely consistent with Catholic Church doctrine on marriage. These unremarkable beliefs, shared by millions of Catholic Americans, have sent the Left into a paroxysm of hysteria."

The U.S. Constitution expressly forbids any religious test for public office, Lessner noted. Yet radical secularists on the Left demand the Senate reject the Holmes’ nomination solely on the basis of his personal religious views. In effect, the Left is saying that no orthodox Catholic is fit to serve on the federal bench.

"The radical feminists and secularists who have attacked Mr. Holmes have been unable to produce a single instance in which his personal religious faith unfairly colored or biased his ability to render sound legal judgments," Lessner said. "Because liberal activist judges rule on the basis of their own personal political prejudices, the Left assumes that all judges behave this way. In fact, judges are charged with fairly applying the law without prejudice. Mr. Holmes has sworn to do so and he should be taken at his word."

"The attack on James Leon Holmes has unmasked an ugly anti-Catholic bigotry. Senators should unequivocally reject this intolerant hatred spewing from the extreme Left."

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The U.S. Constitution expressly forbids any religious test for public office, Lessner noted. Yet radical secularists on the Left demand the Senate reject the Holmes’ nomination solely on the basis of his personal religious views. In effect, the Left is saying that no orthodox Catholic is fit to serve on the federal bench.