Political Quotes

“I am here to speak on the confirmation of Steven Menashi to be a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. We have grown accustomed to the violations of norms around here, kind of a dumbing down of the institution. So by all of those standards, I would ordinarily be opposing Mr. Menashi. We have disposed of the blue slip convention for Circuit Court nominees. I just warn my colleagues, again, that there is a price to be paid for that. The blue slip for Circuit Court nominees is the thing that connects a Circuit Court nominee to a particular State so that an Arkansas judge on the Circuit Court of Appeals or the Rhode Island judge on our Circuit Court of Appeals or the Montana judge on their Circuit Court of Appeals only is the Arkansas judge or the Rhode Island judge or the Montana judge because we honor that blue slip. In another Presidency, when the shoe is on the other foot, I don't want to hear any of my colleagues who have thrown this Circuit Court blue slip out complain when somebody who is not even from their State gets appointed to the so-called State seat on the Circuit Court. In addition, we have dealt with a lot of unqualified candidates. I think this administration has set the record for ABA-designated unqualified candidates. This guy has never tried a case, never taken a deposition. He effectively has not practiced law. When he has tried to practice law, it has been a disaster.…”