Trent Lott: “So it was 3 days after the committee had acted when this whole issue started coming to the forefront and questions were…”

“So it was 3 days after the committee had acted when this whole issue started coming to the forefront and questions were being raised about Judge Dennis and his involvement in that ruling on the Louisiana Supreme Court. Clearly, while you can argue that it came to the supreme court in a very narrow way, I think clearly this is a question of judgment. That is very key here. We are fixing to put a nominee on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, a Federal court, for life, and a nominee's judgment is very critical in whether we vote for or against him. He knew about the practice in Tulane. He knew about the Times-Picayune investigation. He had, in fact, participated in this process. I do not judge it, prejudge it, or condemn it. I know it went on. What was really involved here was a decision about whether or not this information should be made available, as I understand it. Clearly, he had had an involvement as a legislator and his son had been involved. It appears to me judgment would have dictated that he would have recused himself. As a matter of fact, the Louisiana rules of court, canon 2 says: A judge should avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety in all activities. Surely there was at least an appearance of impropriety in this matter. I have experienced some unusual things with regard to this judge.…”