Leahy: Republicans seem to love to shut down government Nick Juliano

Published: Wednesday August 1, 2007





Print This Email This The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee accused Republicans of being too willing to shut down Congressional business over judicial nominations, despite Democrats' record of approving more of President Bush's nominees than the GOP approved for his predecessor, Clinton. "If Republicans follow through on their threats to shut down the Senate over a single judicial nomination, they would be continuing their pattern of obstructionism and it would (be) the American people and our troops who suffer the most," Leahy said in a statement released by his office Wednesday afternoon. "Like their President, Republicans priorities are misguided and dangerous. Instead of funding vital defense initiatives, Republicans are talking about shutting down the Senate over a single judicial nominee." The swipe at Republicans from Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) came as he announced that his committee would return to the contentious nomination of Jude Leslie Southwick to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. Republicans have threatened to slow or halt Senate business if Southwick's nomination does not come before the full Senate for a vote. Sen. Arlen Specter, the ranking Republican on the Judiciary Committee, took to the Senate floor Wednesday to again call for Southwick's nomination to be voted on by the full Senate. He invoked previous battles over judicial nominees, including the near-shutdown in early 2005 when Democrats threatened to filibuster nominees in the Republican-controlled Senate. "I hope we do not have our actions disintegrate to the kind of controversy we had a couple years ago," Specter said, "but that we can move beyond this to the kind of bipartisanship which Senator Leahy and I have been able to muster for the Judiciary Committee." Leahy reminded Republicans of their past efforts to bring the government to a halt. "Congressional Republicans seem to love to shut down the Government and seem intent on manufacturing excuses to do so," he said. "In 1995 it was Newt Gingrich, who did not like his treatment on Air Force One. When they were in the Senate majority a few years ago -- and while surreptitiously stealing our computer files-- it was Senate Republicans who insisted on a 40-hour debate on this Presidents court packing schemes." The decision, along with Democratic efforts to scuttle Republican attempts to bring Southwick's nomination to the floor for a vote marked the latest salvos in a potential showdown. Democrats on the committee are unified in opposition to the nomination, observers say. Republicans have been attempting to circumvent the committee to salvage the nominee, who they say has the support of a majority of senators. "I haven't seen any Democrats (on the committee) rushing to his defense; hopefully that won't change," Judith E. Schaeffer, leagal director of People for the American Way told RAW STORY . Schaffer's group and many others on the left oppose Southwick's nomination because they say he is not adequately supportive of civil rights. A conservative observer predicted the nomination would not actually be voted on Thursday, despite its placement on the agenda. Curt Levey, executive director of the Committee for Justice, which is supporting the nomination, said Republicans want a vote from the full Senate and to torpedo the nomination in committee "would be a slap in the face" to Republicans. "Republicans made clear they're willing to fight on this," Levey told RAW STORY . "I would guess they will report him out of committee without a positive recommendation, that will be the compromise." Leahy said he had removed Southwick's nomination from the Judiciary Committee's agenda "at the request of Republican Senators," and was moving again to consider it after hearing Republican complaints that the nomination was being held up. The Judiciary Committee in June delayed a vote on Southwick's nomination over concerns on his civil rights record during his time as a judge on the Mississippi Court of Appeals. Civil rights groups have opposed the nomination, including the Human Rights Campaign, the Alliance for Justice, People for the American Way, the NAACP of Mississippi, decrying what they call his lack of commitment to civil rights. Also on Wednesday, Republicans tried to force the nomination out of the Judiciary Committee, but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) vowed to scuttle their push for a "sense of the Senate" resolution calling for a vote on the nomination by the Senate at large. Levey predicted the defeat of that resolution could provoke Senate Republicans to block Senate business. In his statement Wednesday, Leahy accused Republicans of being less willing to approve President Clinton's nominees than Democrats have been to approve Bush's. "I guess those making these threats and demands have a short memory," Leahy said. "I do not intend to pocket filibuster more than 60 of this Presidents judicial nominees, as the Republican majority did with President Clintons judicial nominees." Developing ...



