Arlen Specter: “Judge Smith was questioned at some length about trips he had made to seminars, that there might have been an effort to…”

“Judge Smith was questioned at some length about trips he had made to seminars, that there might have been an effort to influence his decisions and that they were, in effect, junkets. There is a famous expression that it does not lie in the mouth of someone to say something, which really means that party has no standing to raise the question. I do not think that the Senate, or Senators, have standing to raise questions about travel. I say that in the context of traveling myself, and I think those travels are very worthwhile. And I have gone to seminars, and I make the appropriate disclosure on my financial statements. The seminars that Judge Smith attended were entirely appropriate, and he was challenged because he had not listed the value of those trips to seminars. He stated that he thought he had complied with the law. Since staff has checked out, it was found there was no requirement that the value be listed. It may be when we are talking about Judge Pickering and perhaps about Judge Smith--and I feel confident Judge Smith will be acted upon favorably by the Judiciary Committee, but one never knows--but in looking at the proceedings as to Judge Pickering, this may be a warm-up for the next Supreme Court nomination.”