Orrin Hatch: “I have been an attorney for a long, long time. I know a fishing expedition when I see one. I have been a Senator for 27…”

“I have been an attorney for a long, long time. I know a fishing expedition when I see one. I have been a Senator for 27 years. I have seen fishing expeditions before but never one as blatantly as this one, or exploiting a red herring issue like they are trying to do on this one. I compliment the Senator. Let me read from the editorial in the Savannah Morning News just a couple of paragraphs. The Democrats are upset because they haven't found a ``gotcha'' moment in Mr. Estrada's testimony or scholarship that would embarrass or contradict him, and thus provide them ammunition to defeat his nomination. Then they went on to quote saying what the Senator from Georgia quoted. They want to continue trolling further. This is trolling like you have never seen before. Then the next paragraph says: The problem is, they've already had ample opportunities. If they weren't happy with his answers at his hearing last September, Democrats could have demanded another hearing. They did not. Nor did they take full advantage of normal procedure and submit written follow-up questions to Mr. Estrada after the hearing--only two of the 10 committee Democrats did so. Because they lack the votes to defeat the nomination on the Senate floor they have resorted to manipulating the process by any means necessary--not, mind you, because they have evidence to oppose him, but because they don't. Boy, I agree with that editorial.”