Patrick Leahy: “we are trying to put the law back to the way it was before this little amendment was slipped into the PATRIOT Act. We…”

“we are trying to put the law back to the way it was before this little amendment was slipped into the PATRIOT Act. We should oppose the amendment of the Senator from Alabama. It would not put it back the way it was. Actually, under this amendment, the Senator from Alabama could not have been appointed U.S. attorney, and former Attorney General Thornburg and former Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson could not have been. The President should move quickly to appoint the U.S. attorney if there is a vacancy, but in the meantime, the judges are in the best position to appoint somebody. I hope a district court never has to make an appointment. But let's assume you have a case where there is widespread corruption. The judge has to be able to put in someone independent. It worked well for 100 years. It was changed by something slipped into the PATRIOT Act. Let's go back to the way we were, Mr. President. I oppose this amendment and ask for the yeas and nays.”