Patrick Leahy: “I will use part of that time. Today we are considering the nomination of Alice Fisher for the position of Assistant…”

“I will use part of that time. Today we are considering the nomination of Alice Fisher for the position of Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. We have less than 2 weeks left in the legislative session before we recess for the elections. The Republican leadership has once again delayed doing the work of the American people so they can consider a nominee about whom many questions remain. We are being required to consider this nomination despite unanswered questions regarding her role in the administration's controversial, questionable detainee treatment policies. Of course, on these questions, as on so many other matters involving torture and detainees at Guantanamo, the administration has refused to provide Congress with the information it has sought. As I said 2 weeks ago when the President re-nominated five extremely controversial choices for lifetime positions on the Nation's highest courts, I continue to be disappointed in the misguided priorities of the Bush-Cheney administration and, in fact, the rubberstamp Senate Republican leadership. I really think all Americans--Republicans and Democrats--would be better served if we used the few remaining weeks of this legislative session to address vital, unfinished business, such as the war in Iraq. That might be something the American people would really like to see us debate, the war in Iraq.…”