Patrick Leahy: “Mr. Kelley recently served as the Chairman of the Republican Party of Norfolk for four years. He is currently involved…”

“Mr. Kelley recently served as the Chairman of the Republican Party of Norfolk for four years. He is currently involved in a Republican political action committee and serves as Director of the Downtown Republican Club. A few years ago, upon being elected Rector of the Old Dominion University Board of Visitors, Mr. Kelley was asked about the political nature of the position and politics in general, when he answered, ``[i]f you really believe strongly in how it is you think Government should act with the citizenry . . . you can't sit on the sidelines and not be in the game. You're either in there trying to make happen that which you believe in, or you're ceding the whole debate to the other side.'' I trust that Mr. Kelley will not believe that he can continue this advocacy as a judge. By taking his oath of office he will be expected to assume a position of impartiality and discard his previous partisan advocacy.”