...it's
past time for Daschle to end his hypocrisy and release Democrats
to vote on the judges.
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Meet
the Press Highlights Center's Ad Against
Daschle's Hypocrisy on Judicial Nominations
Displaying
the Center for Individual Freedom's "Hypocrite"
ad (The Washington Times, May 9, 2003), Tim Russert
on this week's Meet
the Press asked Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle why
he was acting against his own words in leading simultaneous filibusters
against circuit court nominees Miguel Estrada and Priscilla Owen.
"Why
not let the Republicans have a vote? You can vote no, but just give
them a vote the way you thought they should have in 1999," asked
Russert.
For
those of us who work tirelessly to defend the Constitution, Daschle's
response was troubling to say the least: "Tim, that should be the
rule, but sometimes there are, as you know, exceptions to the rule."
No
Mr. Daschle, we don't know. Contrary to what you now say,
there are no exceptions to the U.S. Constitution.
In
1995, Daschle said on the Senate floor, "the Constitution is straightforward
about the few instances in which more than a majority of the Congress
must vote: A veto override, a treaty, and a finding of guilt in
an impeachment proceeding. Every other action by the Congress is
taken by majority vote. ... Democracy means majority rule, not minority
gridlock."
On
May 8, the Senate held its sixth cloture vote to end the "minority
gridlock" against D.C. Circuit nominee Miguel Estrada, and its second
cloture vote to end the filibuster against Fifth Circuit nominee
Priscilla Owen. As expected, both votes failed to get the 60 necessary
to bring these nominations to an up-or-down conclusion by the full
Senate. It was no surprise that, in both instances, Daschle cast
'nay' votes.
What's
worse, Daschle and his obstructionist cronies are now threatening
more filibusters against other nominees, including Ninth Circuit
candidate Carolyn Kuhl and Fifth Circuit candidate Charles Pickering.
To
reiterate what we said in the ad, it's past time for Daschle to
end his hypocrisy and release Democrats to vote on the judges.
Unfortunately,
it appears some things may never change.
[Posted
May 15, 2003]
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