Orrin Hatch: “I rise to address a subject that I have discussed several times in the past few weeks, and that is the issue of judicial…”

“I rise to address a subject that I have discussed several times in the past few weeks, and that is the issue of judicial selection. As I said in those speeches, differences in judicial philosophy can have real and profound consequences for the safety of Americans in their neighborhoods, homes, and workplaces. Sound judging is every bit as much a part of the Federal anticrime effort as FBI and DEA agents and prosecutors. It does the Nation little good to put more cops on the beat if judges put the criminals back on the street. And, I might add, the President overstates the number of police that the Federal Government is helping put on the street. I see that the President has attempted this week to respond to my speeches through his subordinates. One argument, made by his former White House counsel, maintains that it is really the home State Senators who appoint judges. This argument is just another example of the President attempting to hide from the consequences of his decisions. The last time that I looked in the Constitution, it stated that the President 'shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint . . . Judges.' Presidents may look to individual Senators to recommend good nominees in each State, but the Constitution itself makes clear that the choice of judges is the President's responsibility and the President's alone.”