Political Quotes

“a few weeks ago the president of the ABA a--purportedly nonpartisan organization--wrote a letter to the majority and Republican leaders regarding nominations and the Leahy-Thurmond rule. I noticed that my good friend the chairman of the Judiciary Committee entered a copy of that letter in the Record. That letter failed to mention quite a few pertinent facts. The Republican leader and I sent the ABA a letter which highlighted some of those facts. I ask unanimous consent that this letter be printed in the Record. There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: Office of the Republican Leader, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC, June 25, 2012. Mr. William T. (Bill) Robinson III, President, American Bar Association, 321 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL. Dear Mr. Robinson: We were surprised to receive your letter of June 20, 2012 urging, for the first time, confirmation of particular circuit court nominees despite the existence of the Leahy-Thurmond Rule. By any objective measure--overall circuit court vacancy rate, vacancies on the respective circuit courts, or judicial emergency designation--our appellate courts are doing, at least as well, and in most respects much better, now than when our democratic colleagues invoked the Rule both times during the last administration.…”