Political Quotes

“I believe judges have no greater responsibility than to ensure fair treatment and equal justice under the law. I also believe one of our greatest responsibilities as Senators is to advise and consent on the President's nominees to the bench. I, for one, take this responsibility very seriously. It is not our duty as Members of the Senate to just rubber stamp the President's nominees--particularly nominees who we doubt are committed to protecting equal rights for every single American. Having read the record of this nominee very carefully, I feel compelled to oppose the nomination of Miguel Estrada for two reasons. First, what we know about his record raises serious questions about his commitment to protecting equal rights under the law. Second, and more importantly, his refusal to answer reasonable questions during the confirmation process makes it impossible to examine his views of the law and determine whether his personal views would overrule law and legal precedent. Federal judges wield enormous power and have a huge impact on the rights of individuals all across America. Given the fact that the Supreme Court reviews fewer than 100 cases per year, circuit courts, such as the DC Circuit where Miguel Estrada is being nominated to, ends up as the courts of last resort for nearly 30,000 cases each year.”