Former Republican Federal Judge Slams Senate GOP Obstruction Of Judicial Nominees

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2011/09/12/former-republican-federal-judge-slams-senate-gop-obstruction-of-judicial-nominees/

September 12, 2011
By Stephen D. Foster Jr.

A former federal appeals judge appointed by George H. W. Bush is criticizing Senate Republicans for placing partisan politics above ensuring that America has a functioning judiciary branch.

In a piece written for the National Constitution Center, former Republican judge, Timothy Lewis, had this to say about the current band of Republicans who occupy the Senate Minority.

“The Obama administration was slow out of the gate on this one – nominations trickled forth in the early days of the administration when the President’s team should have been well-prepared with the names of nominees. But a considerable amount of the fault for this also has to be laid at the feet of Republicans who have made it a badge of honor to frustrate this President, himself a man of the law, from shaping the federal courts he inherited from George W. Bush. If you doubt this conclusion, reflect for a moment on the Senate minority leader’s comment shortly before the 2010 mid-term election when he said that the top – top — political priority over the next two years should be to deny President Obama a second term in office. Really, Senator? So where on the priority list do we put conducting the Senate’s constitutional business?”

Judge Lewis is absolutely correct. It is the duty of the Senate to fill these court positions. Republicans, however, have decided to block President Obama’s judicial nominations solely on the grounds that the nominees were picked by a Democrat. By not approving these nominations, Republicans are systematically weakening the judiciary branch which weakens our justice system as a whole. That puts all Americans in danger of not being able to seek proper justice in a court of law.


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