Posted on 03/15/2002 8:07:13 AM PST by Lance Romance
Lott to Block Daschle Aide's Nomination After Democrats Stop Bush Judge Nominee
Published: Mar 15, 2002
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"I'm not going to let go of it for a long time," said Lott, upset because the Senate Judiciary Committee killed the nomination of U.S. District Judge Charles Pickering of Mississippi to the U.S. Appeals Court in New Orleans.
Lott also announced he will block an aide of Senate Majority Leader Thomas Daschle from getting on the Federal Communication Commission.
Daschle, in response, said that could backfire on Bush's other nominees in the Democratic-controlled Senate. "I would think they would want our cooperation in moving other nominees," the South Dakota Democrat said.
Lott, Pickering's friend of 40 years, called the committee's racially charged proceedings and its 10-9 party-line vote a "slap at Mississippi." The NAACP and other liberal rights groups, a core constituency of the Democrats, strongly disapproved the nomination because they said Pickering supported segregation as a young man and had an ultraconservative voting record as a Mississippi lawmaker.
"This is people trying to use the ghost of the past to try to prevent us from rising up and going forward in a positive way," Lott said. He cited what he called Pickering's close ties to black leaders in Mississippi, some of whom supported his nomination.
Lott took Pickering's defeat personally, but said Democrats also are mistreating Bush's judicial nominees and if it continues "the Senate is going to be in very bad shape."
Lott insisted his plan to block Bush's FCC nomination of Jonathon S. Adelstein, a legislative assistant for Daschle since 1995, has nothing to do with the Pickering vote.
"He's relatively young," said Lott, who insisted he made the decision two weeks ago. "He doesn't have the experience."
Two weeks ago was around the time Lott asked for a delay in the Pickering vote in hopes of finding a Democrat to vote for him.
Daschle called it unfortunate that Lott "would lash out at someone totally uninvolved with the Pickering nomination."
"I don't know if they've given careful thought to that threat, because I think it could easily backfire in many ways that would adversely affect their own agenda," the majority leader said.
Bush wanted the committee to let the full Senate vote on the nomination. Pickering probably would have won a majority there, because at least three Democrats in the Senate, which the party controls 50-49, had said they would vote for him. Daschle has said repeatedly he would block any attempt to vote on Pickering without committee approval.
Pickering "deserves better than to be blocked by a party-line vote of 10 senators on one committee," Bush said. "The voice of the entire Senate deserves to be heard."
One Democrat, Sen. Zell Miller of Georgia, attacked his colleagues. "This action may very well elect a Republican governor in Mississippi," he said.
Senate Judiciary Democrats, however, were united against Pickering. They repeatedly accused Republicans of mistreating many of the nominations made by former President Clinton, to the point of denying hearings for months at a time.
In addition, the committee chairman, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said Pickering "repeatedly injects his own opinions into his decisions on issues ranging from employment discrimination to voting rights."
Other Democrats referred to a case in which Pickering had sought a lighter sentence for a defendant on a cross-burning case, which Republicans contend was misinterpreted by the judge's critics.
Pickering simply does not have "the temperament, the moderation or the commitment to core constitutional ... protections that is required for a life tenure position" on the appeals court, said Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts.
Republicans were equally united in their support of the judge. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, argued that Bush's nominee had been victimized by a smear campaign by groups seeking to impose "an ideological litmus test" on abortion, civil rights and other issues.
Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, also praised Pickering for "moral courage on the issue of race," demonstrated in 1967 when he testified against a Ku Klux Klan leader in Mississippi.
Pickering was not present, but his son, Rep. Charles Pickering, R-Miss., had a seat in the front row of the spectators section. "What is happening to your father today is a great injustice," said Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., addressing his remarks to the young congressman.
"For those who opposed my father, who distorted his record or tried to use the process to extort political gain, I am deeply disappointed and saddened at their lack of character and their use of race to try to reopen old wounds," the younger Pickering said.
The committee's actions left the nomination all but dead. Lott could seek a vote by the full Senate, but Daschle insisted Thursday that he has enough votes to keep that from happening.
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How about fighting fire with fire? Isn't the reason why Jonathon S. Adelstein is not fit for a position on the FCC because of his reputation as a racist? (of course I have no information about whether or not Adelstein is a racist - that's not the point - taking a lead from the 'rats, smear and smear alike...)
It's about time.
For the Senatorial Leader's hand picked appointment, his age old freind, to be treated this way it is clear that he is considered a non-entity, a null and a figurehead. His efforts now are to little, to late and will only make him look either petty or ineffectual.
Could you imagine this having been done to a Deirkson, a Johnson or any other Senate leader...no, only to toothless Trent. Gramm should have had this job a decade ago. We are paying for that now with no replacement in sight.
Still, they twisted this story into something it is not.
This was disputed very well last night by both Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and John Kyl (R-Az.) -- they had the numbers to prove the Dem. complaints were exaggerations and/or fabrications (lies) and the fact is that Xlinton had more nominations approved than any other Pres. except for Reagan (who had a Rep. congress for 6 of his 8 years) -- the "rejected" numbers were inflated with some very sneaky double counting (ex. -- a candidate would be put in late in the 1st term, too late to finish the paperwork, they were then resubmitted for the 2nd term & approved -- this would be counted as 2 submissions with only 1 acceptance)-- some nominees were refused a "blue paper" by their own state Senator (some Dems.)--and ALL nominees who were able to be processed were allowed to go to the Senate for a floor vote (and only ONE was rejected in the Senate voting)
Oh SPARE US !
Lott is such a pussy, I can't believe he is STILL leading the G.O.P.
Wow, here's brass ones -
"I'm gonna block some aide of Daschles from some obscure post in retaliation for my complete obfuscation of my duties as minority leader".
Lott is a pathetic loser and the folks from Mississippi are doing the Republic a great harm by continuing to elect him.
Very small bark ... absolutely no bite, he needs to go.
Shame on NAACP, they defend ex-KKK Gooney Bird, but simply trash a man of dignity. I think we should stop funding NAACP, because it has become too political. I am sure that when NAACP started, it was meant to make sure that colored people would have the same opportuinties as whites. Good intention gone bad!!!
Maybe Dascle wont vote to confirm our candidates for the FCC but Bush can make "recess appointments" for the Republican members while not replacing the Democrat members if Dascle doesnt wants to delay.
The problem was, for him to to take himself out like he did because of HIS daliences only gave credence to the "It's JUST about Sex" crowd.
It was never ABOUT sex with clinton, but the wimpy RINO's allowed that to become the focus.
We ought to make every single senator take a semester course in politics from David Horowitz.
Better yet, make Horowitz the lead G.O.P. man.
Lott sickens me.
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