Political Quotes

“I rise alongside my colleagues tonight to speak on two incredibly controversial circuit judge nominees that the Senate considers this week. The first, Ryan Bounds, of the Ninth Circuit, has not received the approval of either home State Senator. The majority is unfortunately moving forward with his nomination anyway, breaking a tradition that goes back 100 years--a bipartisan tradition, a moderating tradition, a tradition we need. This is merely the latest example of the majority's sustained effort to toss aside the rules and the customs that have guided the judicial nomination process for 100 years. In May, Michael Brennan became the first circuit court nominee to be confirmed over the blue-slip objection of a home-State Senator. If Judge Brennan's confirmation wasn't proof enough, the majority, by moving to vote on Bounds over the objections of both Oregon Senators, is signaling loud and clear that future Presidents need not work with Senators to ensure the selection of consensus nominees to fill these lifetime appointments. For the past 20 years, including during the Bush administration, the Oregon Senators have convened a bipartisan judicial panel to interview candidates. Although Bounds was one of the candidates approved by the committee, it was later discovered that Bounds misled the committee about a number of highly controversial articles he wrote while in college. The majority unfortunately is moving forward on his nomination anyway.…”