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Non-Tech : The ENRON Scandal -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Skywatcher who wrote (3965)	7/7/2002 2:21:04 PM
From: Mephisto	Respond to of 5185

"President Bush needs to get the facts straight. The fact is, judicial vacancies dramatically increased under Republican control of the Senate," Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) said in a statement. "In less than a year, Democrats have significantly reduced those vacancies." In his speech to law professors, law enforcement representatives and state bar association leaders, Bush said more than 10% of federal judgeships are vacant. There are approximately 850 positions in the federal judiciary, according to the Senate Judiciary Committee. In the Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington, where some of the most important constitutional cases are brought, four of the 12 seats are empty. In the 6th Circuit Court, covering Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee, half of the 16 positions are vacant. The Senate Judiciary Committee argues that it has worked faster than Republicans did when they controlled the panel during Clinton's presidency. The committee compared its confirmation of 52 of Bush's 100 nominees during the last 10 months with the 17 nominees confirmed in 1996 and the 36 on which the panel acted in 1997. Indeed, the 52 already confirmed by the Senate reflect a more productive pace than during the period 20 years ago when Republicans held a majority in the Senate and Ronald Reagan was president. In the first 10 months of 1981, 42 of his nominees were confirmed. In addition, they argue, the confirmation process for circuit court nominees is accelerating: The time between receipt of the ABA's report on a nominee and the full Senate's vote on the selection has been averaging 109 days during the current Congress, compared with 374 days during the previous Congress. Blaming whatever delays there have been on Bush, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.) said: "Controversial nominations take longer, and the president can help by choosing nominees primarily for their ability instead of for their ideology." So far, the Judiciary Committee has rejected one of Bush's nominees: U.S. District Judge Charles W. Pickering, whom the president picked for the appeals court. Democrats called him too conservative, and his nomination was derailed on a straight party-line vote. Citing the need for an independent judiciary, Leahy said, "The Senate should not and will not rubber stamp nominees who would undermine its independence and fairness." latimes.com. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> When W doesn't get his way he always cries, "Foul." He reminds me of Lady MacBeth!