President Bush nominated his first judicial nominees to the Federal bench a year ago this week. Eleven qualified, experienced and principled individuals were sent to the U.S. Senate for consideration. As of today, eight of the 11 original nominees have not been given the courtesy of a hearing before Sen. Patrick Leahy and the Senate Judiciary Committee.
America’s court system is facing a vacancy crisis and it is time for the Senate to hold prompt hearings and votes on all of the president’s judicial nominees. The president has nominated a total of 100 individuals to serve as judges. The Senate has confirmed only about half of the president’s nominees, and only nine of the president’s 30 circuit court nominees. Without action, America’s justice system will continue being delayed in absolving the innocent and punishing the guilty. Sens. Tom Daschle and Leahy have failed the American justice system.
Each of the president’s nominees has received a well-qualified or qualified rating from the American Bar Association, but Daschle and Leahy continue to obstruct and stonewall the president’s judicial nominees. Daschle and Leahy should put America’s legal system ahead of partisan politics.
Mountlake Terrace
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