Orrin Hatch: “I am very pleased that cloture was invoked last week with such overwhelming support. I must say, however, that I was…”

“I am very pleased that cloture was invoked last week with such overwhelming support. I must say, however, that I was quite surprised, and disappointed even, to find us in the position of voting on cloture for someone as good as Joel Klein. Even I, as chairman or ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, have not filibustered a single Clinton administration nominee for the Justice Department or the Federal courts. I am not saying I will not in the future, but I will say that I have not up until now. Indeed, the last filibuster of a Justice Department nominee was over the nomination of Walter Dellinger to head the Department's Office of Legal Counsel back in October of 1993. Of all the nominees I have seen in recent years, I must say that Joel Klein certainly ranks among the very best of them. Of course, I know my good colleague from South Carolina would not take this step lightly and without what is, in his view, adequate justification, but in fairness I think we must now move quickly to confirm this nominee who has been awaiting confirmation since May 5 of this year. As I explained last Friday, I believe it is critical for the Department of Justice, and the business community generally, to have a permanent, confirmed antitrust chief.”