Political Quotes

“Those of us serving on the Senate Judiciary Committee are making this kind of ``sustained, concerted, and cooperative effort.'' Regrettably, that effort is not duplicated by the Senate, because the Senate Republican leadership continues to object, stall and delay consideration of these much-needed judges. This is not a partisan issue. Two weeks ago in a hearing before the Judiciary Committee, Justice Scalia agreed that the extensive delays in the confirmation process are already having a chilling effect on the ability to attract talented nominees to the Federal bench. Chief Justice Roberts has also described the ``persistent problem of judicial vacancies in critically overworked districts.'' Hardworking Americans are denied justice when their cases are delayed by overburdened courts. While people appearing in court are waiting years before a judge rules on their case, they feel they are being forced to live the old adage ``justice delayed is justice denied.'' I have heard Republican Senators come to the floor purporting to justify their delays by selectively pointing to past instances in which Democratic Senators opposed a handful of President Bush's most ideological nominations. Their misguided attempt to go ``tit for tat'' and settle a political score on nominations ignores the realities of the crisis in judicial vacancies created by their delays.…”