Posted on 08/19/2002 6:00:03 AM PDT by Tumbleweed_Connection
Capitol Hill (CNSNews.com) - A conservative women's group has demanded that a prominent member of the Senate Judiciary Committee apologize for implicating one of President Bush's judicial nominees in the death of a petitioner before the Texas Supreme Court.
During a July 23 hearing on the confirmation of Texas Supreme Court Justice Priscilla Owen to the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.) characterized the outcome of a personal injury lawsuit heard on appeal by the Texas Supreme Court in this manner:
"The young man was in very difficult circumstances, on a respirator ... while the year and a half dragged by that you were supposed to be writing that opinion, one morning the respirator went out and he died," Feinstein claimed. "Here was someone who had two courts sustaining a verdict, which could have gotten him the nursing help that he needed to sustain his life but, during the delay he died."
But Willie Searcy, the severely injured man who had petitioned the court for relief, did not die waiting for Owen to write the court's opinion. Owen had written the opinion and her colleagues had remanded the case to a lower court for reconsideration three years before Searcy's death.
Concerned Women for America President Sandy Rios wrote Feinstein Aug. 1, demanding that the senator publicly apologize for the "outrageous claim."
"Surely you would not knowingly slander a sitting judge with the reputation and character of Justice Owen," Rios wrote. "And so, exercising that faith in your character and responsibility to your office, Concerned Women for America ... urges you to publicly apologize to Justice Owen for what we pray was a gross error and not an intentional act of character assassination."
In her letter to Feinstein, Rios urged Feinstein to make her apology "clear" and "public."
"It must expose the willful providers of that slanderous information and reject using such information in your future consideration of judicial nominees," she added.
The area director of CWA for San Diego and Imperial Counties, Cindy Moles, believes at least one group of Feinstein's constituents expect the senator to respond quickly.
"Senator Feinstein claims to be the senator for all Californians, and I can assure her that all 28,000 CWA members in California do vote," Moles said. "A response to Ms. Rios shouldn't be too much to ask for someone who claims to represent them."
CNSNews.com spoke with a staff member in Sen. Feinstein's press office Friday afternoon who said a representative would call back to comment prior to the deadline for this story. No such call was received.
I don't think I will hold my breath while waiting for that apology to come through.
Of course. Their entire philosophy is based on a willful disbelief about humanity and the human condition. Lying to themselves and others is part and parcel of this.
Regards, Ivan
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