Orrin Hatch

I served with Senator Harry Byrd. He is a marvelous human being. He was an Independent who voted mainly with the Democrats, but a very fair, honorable, decent man, one of the finest people who ever served. I agree with the editorial 100…

What I do want to make clear is I believe the distinguished Senator from Illinois and others have been saying that Mr. Estrada did not answer the questions. Let me recall, in case it might have slipped the mind of the distinguished…

These answers are very competent, good answers by a very competent, well-qualified, terrific nominee for the Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, the first Hispanic nominee in the history of this country.

If I can just continue, the Senator himself said Mr. Estrada has not answered any questions, and the Senator from Illinois at least implied that from time to time.

I recall that they were lengthy, and I recall that Senator Schumer from New York chaired the hearing. I did not chair the hearing. He could have set up any kind of rounds he wanted to, and, as I understand it, everybody had a full…

I will say this--and I compliment my dear colleague from Illinois--my colleague from Illinois did submit written questions, but there were answers to those written questions as well. I have to say, my colleague from Illinois was 1 of 2 out…

Our legal system could not and cannot be held hostage to the political nitpicking--which is exactly what is going on here. I admit that my distinguished colleague from Illinois did take the time to submit questions. None of the others did…

I do not see how any colleague could remain unconvinced of that. He will be. He will follow the law. He has said he will follow the law. He said he would uphold precedent. He said he would do what is right regardless of his own personal…

No question about it. They were given the right to submit additional written questions, and only two Senators did. By the way, the administration has even gone further than that. They said: Look, we will present Miguel Estrada to any…

Not a true filibuster. There have been cloture votes as a Senate management device but not a true filibuster. There has never been a true filibuster used against a circuit court of appeals nominee, no, and certainly not against a circuit…

I do not recall anyone who has had this difficulty--in fact, anyone with that type of a rating who has not gone through the Senate once reported by the Judiciary Committee, and the fact that the Democrats are doing this now is outrageous.

Of course not. Few lawyers have. Few nominees for judgeships have in the history of this country. That is what makes me so livid--to see lesser legal minds writing partisan letters suggesting he is not a qualified nominee. It drives me…

Mr. Estrada graduated magna cum laude from Columbia University after coming from Honduras. He was 4 years old when his parents divorced in Honduras. He was 17 when he came to this country, speaking very little English. He taught himself…

Let me finish answering your question. He could have asked: What do you feel about the first amendment? Are you kidding? That is not a question that should be asked a judicial nominee. And any judicial nominee would answer: What I feel is…

Look, I don't withdraw that statement. That statement is an important statement. The distinguished Senator from New York and his colleagues had almost 2 years. The distinguished Senator from New York conducted this hearing. The…

It has been the courts. This is an important position, and if we are going to have to go through this on every circuit court of appeals nominee because the other side just doesn't like them--they don't have a good, valid reason for voting…

Well, I refuse to modify it. I think we ought to vote up or down. Look, if you folks are sincere on this other side--and, my goodness, I have to believe you must be, although I think if you are not, it is the most brazen thing I have seen…

The only way we are destroying careers, in all fairness, is by having filibusters, not by having up-or-down votes. If we distort the record of people, I think that--I think both sides have done that from time to time, I am not saying…

Let me just finish. I told him I would support him, and I did. Unlike this particular situation, he got his vote and he passed with my support, which would never have happened without it.

I think my record shows I have not only been fair, I have bent over backwards. I will acknowledge that I have had problems on my side, just like your chairman when he was chairman, Senator Leahy, had problems on his side with some who have…

Of course, he is not a judge. Rosemary Barkett was a judge and had written a number of legal opinions. Some of them I thought were whacko and, frankly, were.

Well, in essence, because he was basically accused of not being Hispanic enough. I believe he was accused of being Hispanic in name only. They even said he didn't give back enough to the community, even though this man worked his guts out…

I am happy to have the question from my dear colleague from New York. No. 1, I didn't know she was Hispanic. That is irrelevant to me anyway. I didn't know that. And if she is, I didn't know it until today. No. 2, I did read her judicial…

Absolutely none. And that is one reason it is a fishing expedition--because they want to see if they can find something for which they can criticize him. But not only did they wait 615 days to hold a hearing--which they controlled, they…

That is right. By the way, when the ABA does its review, it is looking for every one of those qualities. It is looking for people who would rebut those qualities. It is looking for people who both support him and are opposed to him. It is…