Patrick Leahy: “I agree, this can be an issue and probably should be an issue in the election, but let's make sure it is an issue on the…”

“I agree, this can be an issue and probably should be an issue in the election, but let's make sure it is an issue on the facts. There is this discussion we heard on the floor this last hour or so of the great vacancies. That is balderdash. The fact is, there are more Federal judges sitting right now than at any time in history. We have been told that we are blocking 130. There are only 40 vacancies, approximately 40 vacancies in the whole country. Let's get our numbers right. This number is right. We have confirmed 168; we have blocked 4. We confirmed 168; we blocked 4. That is the fact. It is hard on the other side to hear that, after they blocked over 60 of President Clinton's nominees by one-person filibusters, but it is a fact. We confirmed 168; we stopped 4. They stopped 61.”