Political Quotes

“in order to understand the constitutional problem we face with the filibuster of Miguel Estrada, it is important for the Senate and the public to focus on what is really going on here. This filibuster is not a dispute about Mr. Estrada's answers to questions. If it were about unanswered questions then more than two Democrats would have taken up the White House's offer to pose new written questions to Mr. Estrada or to meet with him privately and ask them in person. But they did not, and it is now clear that the repeated refusal even to ask questions has exposed the emptiness of that argument. I hope we hear no more of it. This filibuster also is not a dispute about confidential documents from the Solicitor General's office. Our filibustering colleagues must know that for the administration to comply with this demand is to undermine the effectiveness of the Department of Justice and its ability to defend the American people's interests in court. They must know that the President will not jeopardize the people's interests and that these confidential documents cannot be disclosed. So this document request is an unserious demand made precisely because the administration will not comply--just as four former Democrat Solicitors General have advised. No, this dispute is not about confidential memos. The fact is that there is plenty of information available--more than enough information for a thoughtful Senator to make a decision whether to vote up or down.…”