Benchless (Specter keeps qualified judge off federal bench)

National Review Online ^ | 4/19/04 | David J. Sanders

[Elkiejg]

It has been almost a year since President Bush nominated Arkansas lawyer Leon Holmes to the federal bench. Since that time, he has had a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, but his nomination remains stalled.

Holmes enjoys the support of his two home senators, Democrats Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor. Even with their support, however, some Senate Democrats were uneasy with Holmes. Sen. Charles Schumer, the hard-core liberal New York Democrat, railed against Holmes, but those attacks began to subside last year. Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle has said the Holmes nomination wouldn't be filibustered by Democrats.

So what is the problem?

It is liberal Republicans who have put Holmes in their sights with hope of stopping his nomination. Word is that Pennsylvania senator Arlen Specter — who, if reelected, will likely be Judiciary Committee chairman next session — continues to lead the charge against Holmes's nomination. He is not alone. Republican Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, both of Maine, continue to stand between Holmes and his vote on the Senate floor.

What has made Specter's opposition especially interesting is that he is locked in a tough primary with conservative Rep. Patrick Toomey. Late last year, it looked like Toomey might enjoy support of the White House and noted conservative Republican and fellow Pennsylvanian, Sen. Rick Santorum, because of Specter's shenanigans with Holmes and other conservative policy initiatives.

But that did not pan out for Toomey. Both the White House and Santorum have voiced support for Specter out of concern for keeping the Senate in the GOP column.

A recent poll taken by Quinnipiac University put Toomey 15 points behind Specter, but only weeks ago Specter enjoyed a 30-point lead his over his opponent. Why the shift?

Toomey and his support groups have begun to tell the truth about Specter's voting record. Toomey's ads against Specter look more like the political spots President Bush is running against Sen. John Kerry than ads in an party primary race.

In the ads, Toomey criticizes his opponent for supporting "five of the largest tax increases in history." The Club for Growth didn't bother with subtly insinuating the likeness between Kerry and Specter. The group's ad highlighted the two men's similarities by claiming that "nearly 70 percent of the time Specter and Kerry voted the same way," and "that makes Arlen Specter 100 percent too liberal."

Pennsylvania conservatives will have a hard time supporting a Republican who supports tax increases, but some observers purport that the argument that may win it for Specter is that his nomination and subsequent election will help keep the GOP in power. President Bush is in Pennsylvania Monday to campaign for Specter; in these final days of the campaign, leading up to the April 27 primary, Toomey should step up his attacks.

Toomey needs to highlight the numerous news reports which pin the Holmes's nomination delay on his opponent. Specter would be put on the spot: he'd either be forced to admit and explain his opposition to Holmes, or he'd deny that he's been an impediment to one of President Bush's nominees.

Toomey, who needs to continue to emphasize the differences between Specter and himself as primary day nears, should call on Specter to support Holmes's nomination by insisting on a Senate vote. Leon Holmes deserves to be a federal judge. For that to happen, his nomination may have to become a political issue in Pennsylvania.

— David J. Sanders is a columnist for the Arkansas News Bureau.

[Elkiejg]

Would someone please explain to me why the WH is supporting this RINO? And I don't buy the "keep the GOP edge".

[Cicero]

Are Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe both on the Judiciary Committee? Why? It makes no sense to have two senators from the same state on the same committee, let alone three RINOs.

[republicanwizard]

Arkansas can stick its stinky nose out of my state's business. After what Arkansas gave this country for eight years, I want no lecture from them about who my state should or should not vote for. Given the state has two left-wing Senators, the opinion of any Arkansasan about who is the right choice for Pennsylvania is laughable, if not pathetic.

I'll research the Holmes nomination. To the best of recollection, Specter has already agreed to support him.

[blackdog]

Even if Sphyncter gets re-elected, the damage done to him by the healthy look-see of a bloody campaign primary will make him damaged goods. We've seen too much of Ailin Spuncter and the more we get to see the history framing the man, the less stock will be placed with him.

[republicanwizard]

No, they are not on the committee.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Spector needs to retire or be retired.

[blackdog]

His wife Joan hasn't stolen enough money from the Small Business Administration yet with all her scams. I loved the pie business debacle.

Nope, still fruit pickin season from the taxpayer tree for the Spunkter family. No time to retire just yet......

[North Coast Conservative]

I believe that this evening's rally in Pittsburgh is designed to put an end to this problem?

We Ohioans have Voinovich and DeWine, but they don't cause as many problems because they don't have the seniority.

In God We Trust…..Semper Fi!

[The kings dead]

It is liberal Republicans who have put Holmes in their sights with hope of stopping his nomination. Word is that Pennsylvania senator Arlen Specter — who, if reelected, will likely be Judiciary Committee chairman next session — continues to lead the charge against Holmes's nomination.

Just another single vote among many, I suppose?

[oldironsides]

Darlin Arlin appeared with a judge named to a federal bench while he was in West Chester Pa. The judge is a GOPer and liberal as anyone and he is also being blocked.
He is a Hispanic with all the credentials that Specter and his fellow liberals love. They are just stopping all nominations in hopes that the Democrats will win the whitehouse.

[republicanwizard]

That's a bunch of BS, and you know it.

[Owen]

>
Just another single vote among many, I suppose?
>

Come now, you saw the data. Something like 500 roll call votes in 3 months, with Specter departing from the GOP party line perhaps what, 6 times? And Santorum also departed several times? How many times would a Democrat in that seat depart the GOP party line?

It's never about winning. It's about denying the opposition a victory. That's the best one can ever do in a general election, and the general election is all that matters in the end.

[deport]

Specter agreed to help get Holmes out of Committee and to the Senate where he's now in control of Frist for a floor vote.... However Specter's help came with the proviso that a Committee recommendation on Holmes would be omitted which it was.... Thus he was sent to the Senate without a recommendation... I think Frist has held the vote as he's afraid that Holmes will be rejected should the pro-choice republicans join with the democrats...

Here is one article on it....

[The kings dead]

Come now, you saw the data. Something like 500 roll call votes in 3 months, with Specter departing from the GOP party line perhaps what, 6 times?

And how many of those "party line" votes were as important as the Holmes nomination?

It's never about winning. It's about denying the opposition a victory.

I share neither your defeatist attitude nor your unstated assumption that there is only one "opposition."

[F16Fighter]

Specter: THE STEALTH LIBERAL

MEMO TO GOP "LEADERS":

STAY AWAY FROM SPECTER -- Conservatives are noting your support of him!

[nothingnew]

Would someone please explain to me why the WH is supporting this RINO?

As many freepers agree here, they MUST BACK the Incumbent and also "payback" a member of their own party for casting a vote in favor of their own party. It's BS.

GO TOOMEY!

FMCDH

[Checkers]

Arlen Borked Bork and acquited Clinton...TWICE!

'nuff said.

[Lancey Howard]

bttt

[BillyBoy]

RINOWIZARD: Arkansas can stick its stinky nose out of my state's business. After what Arkansas gave this country for eight years, I want no lecture from them about who my state should or should not vote for. Given the state has two left-wing Senators, the opinion of any Arkansasan about who is the right choice for Pennsylvania is laughable, if not pathetic. I'll research the Holmes nomination. <<

Hey check it out, RINOWizard finally responded to the "outright lies" that Snarlin' Arlen is blocking Bush's nominees. He's going to "research" this one. Good luck finding Specter's statement of support.

It's cute to this guy constantly berating any non-Pennsyvania who criticizes Snarlin' Arlen. This is from a guy who got his start on FR posting daily anti-Tancredo stuff in the Colorado threads (probably still wishes a pro-abortion, pro-gay, open-borders RINO "who supports Bush" (bwahahaha!) would replace Tancredo. And we all remember his infamous posts trying to shove Arnold down the throats of CA voters.

Hey, if he doesn't like Arkansas voters weighting on the PA Senate race because their state elected Clinton, why did he tell CA voters who to elect when his state is now Rendellville? Rendell totally crushed the sappy moderate candidate the PA GOP put up. According to RINOWizard's own logic, that should disqualify from him from discussing other gubernatorial elections.

I really like how all the RINOs argue "this is not (insert ultra right-wing state here), we support Republicans who can WIN here". Yet, when an primary DOES occur in one of those solidly Republican states, they always shrill for a RINO anyway (you know, Liddy Dole is the "only" acceptable choice in NC even those the last five Republican Senators were all hard core conservatives, Tancredo must be defeated in the CO primary, etc.)

[BillyBoy]

A FEW OF THE MANY CONSERVATIVE VICTIMS OF RINO ARLEN SPECTER'S OBSTRUCTIONISM

JEFF SESSIONS
Now the soft-spoken, friendly junior Senator from Alabama. Has worked with Senator Specter for many years.
Nominated for U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Alabama

BORKED BY ARLEN SPECTER, 1985

ROBERT BORK
Author of best selling novels, a former U.S. Solicitor General and as Acting Attorney General, and good friend to Gerald Ford
Nominated for a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court

BORKED BY ARLEN SPECTER, 1988

J. LEON HOLMES Well-respected Little Rock, Ark., lawyer and former president of Arkansas Right to Life. Bipartisan support.
Nominated for U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas

BORKED BY ARLEN SPECTER, 2003

WHO WILL NEXT ON THE SPECTER BORKING LIST?