Orrin Hatch: “95 percent of all criminal activities are prosecuted by State and local law enforcement and are prosecuted well. That is…”

“95 percent of all criminal activities are prosecuted by State and local law enforcement and are prosecuted well. That is the way it ought to be done. That is what is expected to be done. Our laws already cover virtually everything, from a civil rights standpoint, that I mentioned earlier today; that is, race, color, religion, and national origin. Do I think gay people ought to be attacked, brutalized, and mistreated? Heavens, no. I believe these matters have been taken care of at the State and local law enforcement levels. If they are not, they should be. We should do that. My amendment that I will offer provides the money, the facilities, and the ability for the State and local law enforcement people to do it if they need extra help. I do not think a case is made that we should give protective status to anyone other than for race, color, religion, or national origin, unless we can show that State and local law enforcement is not doing its job. If they are not doing the job, I am the first to support, the first to come out and say nobody should be mistreated. The law should cover everyone. I made the point, however, that under current law, the Matthew Shepard case and the James Byrd case--two of the most flagrant examples of vicious, unforgivable conduct--these cases were handled well by State and local law enforcement.”