[kcvl]

Dear Friend:

Thank you for contacting me about the nomination of Miguel Estrada to the Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

An independent federal judiciary is a fundamental part of our constitutional democracy. In fact, nominating judges to the federal bench is among the most important and lasting decisions that a President can make.

Equally important is the Senate's role of advice and consent on judicial nominations. Senators have a constitutional duty to evaluate a President's nominees. Part of the proper exercise of that duty requires that Senators be given adequate information to evaluate nominees.

Mr. Estrada was nominated by President Bush for a lifetime appointment to what is arguably the second highest court in the land. The D.C. Circuit Court has jurisdiction over a broad range of issues, from consumer and environmental protection to civil rights and workplace rules. Despite the importance of the position to which he has been nominated, Mr. Estrada's views on fundamental constitutional issues were not provided to the Judiciary Committee and therefore the Senate itself.

The facts that Mr. Estrada has no judicial experience and has published little do not disqualify him. But they do make it even more important that he be willing to discuss his views on fundamental constitutional issues and to provide the Senate with his legal memoranda. Unless and until the Senate is given access to the information necessary for us to exercise our constitutional duty to judge his nomination, I cannot support Mr. Estrada's confirmation.

Sincerely,

Carl Levin

[Dolphy]

Is this a letter you actually received from Levin? The man absolutely never responds to me.

[McGavin999]

We need some hispanic groups picketing the local offices of these senators. They should carry signs that say Senator _____ discriminates against Latinos Free Miguel!

[rockinonritalin]

I received a similarly worded response from Hillary in which she expressed her reasons for not supporting Estrada. Its funny because I wasn't actually asking her to support Estrada's nomination but only to get out of the way and allow the Senate to vote!

[nyconse]

That was great! I really think we are getting the attention of the Democrats. I called everyone who was speaking. I didn't get any good responses. It's really nice that Levin responded. The Democrats keep insisting nobody is interested in the Estrada nomination. I don't think this is true. I think the Democrats will find out in 2004 that people will not put up with anymore obstruction.

[nyconse]

Dear Sen. Biden;

I used to be a Democrat. I left the party because of President Clinton. I would never consider voting for a Democrat unless the super partisan (at the expense of the country) nonsense like the Estrada filibuster ends. I would like you to explain how you obtained illegal documents. I really admired you and am very upset about this. One time, you behaved very decently to Strom Thurmond-an old man. Your behavior impressed me. It was in stark contrast to "modern" Democrats and reminded me why at one time I was proud to call myself a Democrat. Perhaps you remember, Daschle and Clinton et al were trying to send Sen. Thurmond to the hospital by forcing him to stay on the floor past the point of exhaustion. You tried to send Sen. Thurmond home. You have been in the Senate quite a while. You know the Estrada filibuster is wrong and will hurt this country. Yet, you do not speak against this filibuster and you apparently have illegal documents. I am shocked and disappointed. I thought you were one of the good guys: a man who put his country's welfare above partisan politics.

You know forcing the Senate to confirm judges with a super majority is a direct assault on the separation of powers and an assault on our constitution.

If the Democrats succeed in blocking Estrada's nomination what will they have accomplished? I promise you, this will never end. The next time there is a Democrat president, the Republicans will pay the Democrats back; it will be gridlock and this time Sen. Hatch won't intervene and make Republicans play fair. Good and decent people- liberals and conservatives will be forever barred from the judiciary. The big "losers" (of course---as usual) will be the American people.