Hatch offers Democrats deal on stalled judges [Wash. Times]

[truthisfreedom]

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20031027-115723-2323r.htm

Hatch offers Democrats deal on stalled judges

By Charles Hurt
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

    The top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee is negotiating with Sen. Carl Levin, Michigan Democrat, to add as many as two new Michigan-based federal judgeships in exchange for lifting a filibuster against all of President Bush's judicial nominees from that state.
    Though no deal is yet final, a top Republican staffer familiar with the talks said the plan would add a seat to the 22-member 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that would be filled by a nominee from Michigan.  Also under consideration is adding a seat to one of Michigan's two federal district courts, which now seat a combined 30 judges. Sen. Orrin G. Hatch, Utah Republican, hopes to end a nearly two-year blockade of Mr. Bush's appellate-court nominees from Michigan, but some fellow Republicans are comparing the plan to "negotiating with terrorists."  Committee Democrats have been stalling the nominations at the behest of Mr. Levin, who remains angry over the treatment of several Clinton nominees in past years.  Several Republicans presumed that the new appellate-court seat would go to Michigan Judge Helene White, who was nominated by President Clinton in 1997 but never given a hearing by Republicans. Judge White is married to Mr. Levin's cousin.
    <snip>
The discussions were denounced as "blackmail talks."  "Any sort of working on deals is not part of the normal process," said one Judiciary Committee staffer. "This is not something that most conservative Republicans would approve of." One Senate aide familiar with the talks said: "The White House is not happy with this. leadership is not happy with this. Nobody is happy with this."
    <snip>

Mr. Cornyn, who had not heard about the proposal to add federal judge posts in Michigan, called the idea a "split-the-baby solution." "It's not very palatable to me," he said. "I'd be very curious whether Al Gonzales and the rest of the West Wing would be amenable to that." The White House did not return a phone call seeking comment.

[w4rma]

1. "negotiating with terrorists". There are some sick people in the GOP (n/t)

[truthisfreedom]

3. Democrats should introduce a bill making it a crime to falsely claim

that a Nationalized American is a terrorist. it would shut up a lot of lockstep refucknecks in a hurry.

[bluestateguy]

2. John Cornyn

Freshmen senators are supposed to keep their mouths shut and do as they're told. He should cork it!

[izzie]

4. Hatch I do not trust.

Plus he will put it all under Gods name, and I think Hatch is pure slime.

[0007]

5. Goody goody, its my lucky day!!

My favorites senators speakth, Hatch & Cornyn and I get to read it in my favorit newspaper, the Washington Times.

Leaping lizards!! Hatch offers a deal to Carl Levin that's too good to be true. What a lucky day for humanity, 'eh?

[dbt]

6. The Question Arises:

Why was it no big deal for the Repugs to keep Clinton's nominees in limbo for fucking ever and a really BIG DEAL when a few of bu$h's nominees get held up?

By their past actions, Repugs have shown that getting judicial nominees confirmed is not a top priority for this country. Where do they get off by trying to play hurry-up NOW?

As Rust Limpballs is so fond of saying, "You can't have it both ways!"

:grr:
dbt

[jmowreader]

15. Because they know their time is short

This may be a prelude to dumping Bush.

We know a president's most enduring legacy is the judges he leaves behind. We also know that Bush has nominated some of the most extremist judges to the bench you will ever run across, and that he's the worst world leader in recorded history. (Caligula had more redeeming features than Bush. And he got a better movie, too.)

When either Congress or the electorate dumps this sorry excuse for a dictator, the Republicans would really like the judges they selected to be in power.

Ergo, the push for quick processing of Bush's nominees.

I love this: we'll give you two more judgeships if you sign off on all Bush's appointees. Bush will love this one: it gives him the opportunity to dredge up two more Federalist Society types.

[kwolf68]

7. Good lord

"Negotiating with terrorist?" ... Simply amazing these people can get away with this.

And I won't ever forget Repuke George Nethercutt's nonchalant way he approached the death of the soldiers.

The Republican Party is evil personified.

[leetrisck]

8. No way, no way

Making deals over judges. Think enough deals have been made over judges. Under no circumstances should this happen. Democrats should filibuster until hells freezes over before they agree to something like this.

[kwolf68]

9. MICHIGAN RESIDENTS

Please email Mr. Levin and alert him to this rhetoric and voice your displeasure. I was going to email Levin, but he doesn't take mail from non-Michigan residents.

We can't allow the Republicans to call ANYONE terrorists. I am appaled at this.

[booksenkatz]

12. Done

I told him to reject any such deal, even if Hatch offers Michigan the moon with extra whipped cream and a cherry on top. (Hey, I'm starving today, what can I say.) I have to trust Carl, his instincts are almost always right.

[fob]

14. Yes, tell him he doesn't need a deal either. Hatch is looking ahead

and seeing the next President with a D after his/her name and THAT'S the only reason he's moving now.

[bif]

10. Don't do it Carl!

Don't deal with that pondscum posing as a Senator.

[TahitiNut]

11. My email ...

http://action.citizen.org/pc/mail/?id=310&type=CO&state=MI

It was reported by the Washington Times that "The top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee is negotiating with Sen. Carl Levin, Michigan Democrat, to add as many as two new Michigan-based federal judgeships in exchange for lifting a filibuster against all of President Bush's judicial nominees from that state."

As your constituent, I urge you to reject such specious and hypocritical "Sophie's Choice" bargains. Our nation's Judiciary should not sold to extreme right-wing interests, no matter what they bid. Orrin Hatch is an anti-democratic, right-wing idealogue with almost no other interest than unilateral partisan power. The current GOP mis-administration has repeatedly nominated extremists for lifetime judicial appointments in a bid to move an already conservative bench to a degree of neoconservatism almost indistinguishable from fascism. There can be no accommodation of such extremism.

[Beetwasher]

13. And who's to say they won't try to fill those two new Judgeships

w/ reactionary lunatics?

[TankLV]

17. and, who's to say they won't welch on this deal like all the other "deals"

Don't trust them as far as I could throw 'em - which isn't far at all.

REPUKE = 1)Lying Bastard, 2) Hypocrit.

[dolstein]

16. The simple truth is

that the only reason Bush is able to nominate so many judges in the first place is because the Republican Senate failed to act on a large number of Clinton nominations. The Democrats have successfully filibustered a whopping three nominations. That pales in comparison to the number of Clinton nominations that died in committee. The Republicans claim that what the Democrats are doing is different, but the recent use of the filibuster is an artificial distinction. The only reason the Clinton nominees weren't filibustered by the Republicans is because they didn't have to -- Orin Hatch was more than happy to oblige when individual Republican senators objected to a particular nominee. Which is worse -- a private filibuster or one, or a public filibuster of 40 plus? The answer is obvious.

[Jack Rabbit]

18. Let me offer my plan

1. The House of Representatives dumps Hastart and, in an unprecisdented move, goes outside the membership and chooses Al Gore as Speaker of the House.

2. One hour after Speaker Gore is sworn in, Bush and Cheney resign as President and Vice President, offices to which they were never entitled in the first place.

3. Al Gore is sworn in as President, as he rightfully should have been three years ago; Presient Gore withdraws all outstanding judicial nominations and submits his own nominees.

It ain't gonna happen, but it's my plan.

[TrogL]

19. Never give an inch

No way this deal should be allowed