Mike Enzi: “Today I rise to oppose a nomination. I want to tell you, I have a hold on a nomination. It is not a secret hold. Those…”

“Today I rise to oppose a nomination. I want to tell you, I have a hold on a nomination. It is not a secret hold. Those that are interested in the nomination know I have the hold on it. I would not do that in secret. The purpose is not for secrecy. The purpose is to get an action that will show on the record, that will be reflected by this body for years to come. That is what we were sent here for. Judge Ann Aiken has been nominated by the President of the United States to be a District Court Judge for the District of Oregon. I have asked for a rollcall vote because I want to be on record as opposing this nominee. I don't question Judge Aiken's experience or academic qualifications to sit on the Federal bench. I do have serious concerns about her judicial philosophy as she has applied it in State court in Oregon. One particularly tragic case perhaps best illustrates concern. It is the case of State versus Ronny Lee Dye, a 26-year-old man who was convicted of first-degree rape of a 5-year-old girl. Instead of sentencing this convicted rapist to State prison, Judge Aiken sentenced him to only 90 days in jail and 5 years' probation, plus a $2,000 fine. According to local papers, Judge Aiken did not want to sentence Dye to state prison because the prison did not have a sex offender rehabilitation program. How do you think the parents of that girl felt?”