ConfirmThem

By Curt Levey Posted in News — Comments (1) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »

Today, a coalition of organizations supporting constitutionalist judicial nominees – including my own group, the Committee for Justice – asked Senators running for reelection and their opponents to sign a “Fair Judiciary Oath.” The Oath asks the candidates to commit to a “fair confirmation process,” including
1) a timely up or down vote on the Senate floor, and
2) opposition to “arbitrary obstacles that would prevent nominees moving out of committee, absent clear evidence of disqualification.”

The other organizations behind the Oath are the Coalition for a Fair Judiciary, FRC Action, the Third Branch Conference, Fidelis America, the American Center for Law and Justice, and the Judicial Confirmation Network. The coalition's letter to Senate candidates emphasizes "the importance to both parties of restoring reason and fairness to the confirmations process" and asks “Will you be a Senator who contributes to the obstruction and procedural abuse, or one who believes the rules should stay the same whoever is in the White House and Congress?”

The full Oath and letter are beneath the fold.

I, _______________, pledge to the voters of the State of ___________ and the citizens of the United States that:

I will work to see that everyone duly nominated to serve on the federal judiciary gets a fair confirmation process, including the following:

1) Nominees reaching the Senate floor shall get a timely up or down vote free from substantial delay, including filibuster;

2) If I serve on the Judiciary Committee, I will oppose any arbitrary obstacles that would prevent nominees moving out of committee, absent clear evidence of disqualification.

Dear Candidate X:

One of the most important duties of a United States Senator is the review and confirmation of federal judges.

The judicial confirmation process is broken. Recent years have seen abuse of Senate procedures such as filibusters, anonymous holds, and simply never calling a vote on numerous nominees.

Men and women of outstanding character and experience have been blocked indefinitely by a process that increasingly sees ideological litmus tests as the legitimate measure of all nominees.

The cost? At the least, a nominations process hopelessly twisted in partisan stalemate. At the worst, the Constitution itself undermined. With the likelihood that a United States Supreme Court vacancy will occur in the next few years, the importance to both parties of restoring reason and fairness to the confirmations process is of great significance.

Voters need to know what they can expect of a U.S. Senator once he or she reaches that venerable chamber. Will you be a Senator who contributes to the obstruction and procedural abuse, or one who believes the rules should stay the same whoever is in the White House and Congress?

Attached is a copy of the “Fair Judiciary Oath” for your review. If you agree with the oath, please sign and return via fax no later than 5 PM EST, Wednesday, October 25, 2006....

Sincerely,

KAY DALY
President
Coalition for a Fair Judiciary

CONNIE MACKEY
Senior Vice President
FRCAction

SEAN RUSHTON
Executive Director
Committee for Justice

MANUEL MIRANDA
Chairman
Third Branch Conference

JAY SEKULOW
Chief Counsel
American Center for Law and Justice

JOSEPH J. CELLA
President
Fidelis America

GARY MARX
Executive Director
Judicial Confirmation Network