Trent Lott: “May 9th for the circuit court: men, women, and minorities who have not even had a hearing to date. Now, I realize that…”

“May 9th for the circuit court: men, women, and minorities who have not even had a hearing to date. Now, I realize that the majority changed hands in June, but these were the first nominees sent up. They are some of the best intellectually qualified nominees to come before the Senate in a long time. Judge Pickering who was nominated later on May 25th has endured not one, but two hostile hearings. However, the remaining eight nominees from May 9th have not even their first hearings. Why not? It is true that district judges have moved along a little better. I think there are over 50 court nominees now pending before the Senate. This cannot continue. I went through the same thing when I was majority leader. And there were complaints on the other side. A lot of things were done by the other side to tie up the Senate and make it difficult to get our work done. And that is unfortunate. But I think that we are fixing to see the same thing occur from our side this time. We cannot let stand a plan to deny President Bush his nominees to the federal courts. If they are not qualified by education, by experience, if there are some ethical problems, opposition to them is understandable. Don't move them, don't vote on them, don't confirm them. But if we don't see marked progress in general, and if we don't see an end to the orchestrated character assassinations, the Senate will not be the same for a long time. I don't mean it as a threat.…”