Patrick Leahy: “It is too bad that the White House will not listen to reason from Senate Democrats or Senate Republicans. If they had…”

“It is too bad that the White House will not listen to reason from Senate Democrats or Senate Republicans. If they had, there would be no need for this cloture vote. The White House is less interested in making progress on the Estrada nomination than in trying to make political points and to divide the Hispanic community. The Supreme Court, in an opinion authored by none other than Justice Scalia, one of this President's judicial role models, instructs that judicial ethics do not prevent candidates for judicial office or judicial nominees from sharing their judicial philosophy and views. With respect to ``precedent,'' Republicans not only joined in the filibuster of the of Abe Fortas to be Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, they joined in the filibuster Stephen Breyer to the 1st Circuit, Judge Rosemary Barkett to the 11th Circuit, Judge H. Lee Sarokin to the 3rd Circuit, and Judge Richard Paez and Judge Marsha Berzon to the 9th Circuit. The truth is that filibusters on nominations and legislative matters and extended debate on judicial nominations, including circuit court nominations, have become more and more common through Republicans' actions. Of course, when they are in the majority Republicans have more successfully defeated nominees by refusing to proceed on them and have not publicly explained their actions, preferring to act in secret under the cloak of anonymity.”