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Lott to Block Daschle Aide's Nomination After Democrats Stop Bush Judge Nominee
AP Breaking | Mar 15, 2002 | By Jesse J. Holland

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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WASHINGTON (AP) - Senate Republican leader Trent Lott on Friday threatened to retaliate against Democrats for defeating the promotion of one of President Bush's nominees to a federal appeals court.

"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.

---


TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: daschlescumbag
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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.

Looks like a turf war is coming.

1 posted on 03/15/2002 8:07:14 AM PST by Lance Romance
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To: Lance Romance
Unfortunately for us, our guys always bring the rule book to a knife fight.
2 posted on 03/15/2002 8:08:32 AM PST by Howlin
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To: Lance Romance
Let it rip!
3 posted on 03/15/2002 8:08:45 AM PST by PatrioticAmerican
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To: Lance Romance
Oh good, the gloves are off.
4 posted on 03/15/2002 8:09:42 AM PST by Teacup
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To: Lance Romance
"I'm not going to let go of it for a long time," said Lott

This d**kless wonder will let go of it next week, if not during this weekend's talking-head shows.

Pansy.

5 posted on 03/15/2002 8:09:47 AM PST by Hank Rearden
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To: Lance Romance
Don't worry D'asshole, Lott will come out tomorrow saying he was taken out of context and didn't really say that at all...more's the pity.
6 posted on 03/15/2002 8:10:24 AM PST by gorush
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To: Teacup
"I would think they would want our cooperation in moving other nominees," the South Dakota Democrat said.

I don't think he gets the point, do you? That's what we want -- and we AIN'T been getting it!!!!

7 posted on 03/15/2002 8:13:13 AM PST by Howlin
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To: Howlin
Lott is a spineless dweeb.
8 posted on 03/15/2002 8:14:55 AM PST by ambrose
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To: Lance Romance
Senate Republican leader Trent Lott on Friday threatened to retaliate against Democrats. . .

Wake me up if anything really happens. . . .

9 posted on 03/15/2002 8:14:59 AM PST by TexasNative2000
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To: Lance Romance
Lott: "the Senate is going to be in very bad shape."

notice his choice of words near the top: "threatened"

He didn't promise...he threatened...Lott is inefective as a leader...I have no faith he will do anything...

Message To Trent Lott: "The Senate IS in very bad shape, and you could go along way to fixing that by giving minority control to someone who is not an invertabrate..."

10 posted on 03/15/2002 8:15:07 AM PST by antaresequity
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To: Hank Rearden
Exactly. Lott will get berated by Timmy Russert and he'll be on his knees before the end of the show. The only thing worse would be Arlen Specter.
11 posted on 03/15/2002 8:16:09 AM PST by Lance Romance
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To: Teacup
"Oh good, the gloves are off."

Ah...but will they risk ruining their manicures?

12 posted on 03/15/2002 8:16:36 AM PST by Right_in_Virginia
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To: all
Trent Lott on Friday threatened

I'm sure the reporter only had to cut and paste that text into the article....
13 posted on 03/15/2002 8:17:50 AM PST by Registered
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To: Lance Romance
What a complete a$$hole.
14 posted on 03/15/2002 8:18:16 AM PST by Wrigley
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To: Lance Romance
"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.

Hopefully this event coalesces into a fighting spirit in this young congressmen...Welcome to DC hardball politics...I hope he avenges this desgrace upon his father...

15 posted on 03/15/2002 8:19:31 AM PST by antaresequity
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To: Lance Romance
Dashole is holding the country hostage.
16 posted on 03/15/2002 8:20:12 AM PST by KC_Conspirator
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To: Lance Romance
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.

They haven't gotten your cooperation so far, Douchle.

17 posted on 03/15/2002 8:20:33 AM PST by Excuse_My_Bellicosity
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To: gorush
Probably. Lott doesn't have the sack to shoot a woodchuck.
18 posted on 03/15/2002 8:21:08 AM PST by Excuse_My_Bellicosity
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To: antaresequity
Lott lets the Dems roll him for weeks on end, then says or does something that looks (and is) petty and personal in retaliation. This has been his pattern for years. We need a leader who can fight effectively day in and day out, not Trent Lott.
19 posted on 03/15/2002 8:21:18 AM PST by Pilsner
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To: ambrose
lETS SEE - IN THIS SIDE, FOR THE REPUBLICANS

VACANT LOTT

FOR THE DUMB-O-CRATS

LITTLE TOMMY DASHOLE

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

20 posted on 03/15/2002 8:21:29 AM PST by chiefqc
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