Broken Promise on Judicial Nominations
Contact: Natalie Bell, Media Coordinator, Concerned Women for America, 202-488-7000 ext. 126
WASHINGTON, May 23 /Christian Newswire/ -- The American people have repeatedly pleaded with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) to stop partisan politics and move along on President Bush's judicial nominees. But apparently the people's outcry has fallen on deaf ears, again. Today, Sen. Reid "officially" breaks a promise he made to the American people back on April 15th to confirm at least three judicial nominees by the Memorial Day recess.
At the time Sen. Reid made the promise, he recognized that the Democratic Leadership needed "to make more progress on" circuit court nominations, but that progress is no where to be seen.
Mario Diaz, Concerned Women for America's (CWA) Policy Director for Legal Issues, said "It is clear that the Democratic Leadership does not care about the needs of its constituents. Many of the nominations pending are for seats that have been declared judicial emergencies. That means that there are not enough judges on certain circuits to handle the case load. This has a tangible and profound impact on the American people. The Democratic Leadership however has proven time and time again that when it comes to judicial nominations political games are more important than the needs of the people."
The nomination of Peter Keisler has been pending for almost 700 days; Judge Robert Conrad's has been pending for 300 days. Both men have an impeccable record and received the American Bar Association's highest rating of "well qualified."
"Qualifications and merit are not the issue." said Diaz. "It is precisely because the leadership knows that these are well qualified nominees and that if given a vote they would be confirmed that they keep playing political games to prevent it. It appears that they have received their marching orders from extreme liberal special interest groups that they need to oppose these nominees because they will not be judicial activists for their preferred causes. Sadly, they appeared to have complied, to the detriment of the American people."
Concerned Women for America is the nation's largest public policy women's organization.
