Keep Arlen Specter off chair of Judiciary Committee!

WorldNetDaily.com ^ | Nov. 6, 2004

[SeasideSparrow]

ON CAPITOL HILL Movement arises to block Specter Citizens angered by stance on judges rapidly mobilize

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posted: November 6, 2004 1:00 a.m. Eastern

© 2004 WorldNetDaily.com

Controversial remarks by Sen. Arlen Specter, cautioning President Bush against nominating Supreme Court justices who would overturn the Roe vs. Wade abortion decision, have sparked a furious outcry from Bush's large conservative and Evangelical support base, and spawned a movement to ensure the Pennsylvania Republican does not ascend to chairmanship of the Senate Judiciary Committee as expected.

Sen. Arlen Specter greets President Bush in Harrisburg, Pa., during campaign.

Overnight, a website named NotSpecter.com emerged to help lead the charge.

Organized as a project of RedState.org, the website "is dedicated to the proposition that the Republican party, the conservative movement and the country would all be better served without Arlen Specter as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. For decades, Specter has shown that his personal interests and the president's agenda are at odds."

The site has a petition that will be forwarded to the judiciary panel and offers other ways to contact influential officials in Washington.

Recently re-elected to a fifth term with the crucial aid of President Bush, Specter is in line to become chairman in January when Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah steps down due to term-limit rules.

According to an Associated Press interview Wednesday, Specter said, "When you talk about judges who would change the right of a woman to choose, overturn Roe vs. Wade, I think that is unlikely. The president is well aware of what happened, when a number of his nominees were sent up, with the filibuster. ... And I would expect the president to be mindful of the considerations which I am mentioning."

After an immediate outburst of national outrage, Specter issued a statement Thursday insisting he did not send a warning to Bush.

"I did not warn the president about anything and was very respectful of his constitutional authority on the appointment of federal judges," Specter said. "I have never and would never apply any litmus test on the abortion issue."

Nevertheless, outraged Iowa state Rep. Dan Boddicker has launched a drive to make Sen. Charles Grassley chairman of the panel instead. But the Iowa Republican senator, an abortion opponent, is expected to resume his chairmanship of the Senate Finance Committee.

According to rules established by the majority party, the committee chairman will be chosen by a secret-ballot vote of the Republican members of the panel. The nod traditionally goes to the senior member, but the rules specify any member can be selected. The entire conference must then approve the committee's pick by another secret ballot, although rejection is rare.

Specter, who says he joined the GOP in his first election race in 1965 because it offered more support than the Democrats, has a lifetime rating of 43 out of 100 from the American Conservative Union. By comparison, his Pennsylvania Republican colleague Sen. Rick Santorum has a rating of 87.

But Santorum has come to Specter's defense, while seeking assurance he will abide by the president's wishes.

After Specter's follow-up statement Thursday, Santorum said Specter had "clarified that he does not support a litmus test for nominees with regard to their stance on abortion" and added he looked forward "to working with Sen. Specter to guarantee that every judicial nominee put forth by President Bush has an up-or-down vote" by the full Senate.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, told the AP he hoped Specter would promise to back the president's nominees.

"I'm intending to sit down and discuss with him how things are going to work," he said. "We want to know what he's going to do and how things are going to work."

Vigorous campaign

Syndicated radio talk host Laura Ingraham, urging "Stop Specter Now," is waging a vigorous campaign to get listeners to put pressure on Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, who has shown interest in becoming the Republican presidential nominee in 2008.

Ingraham is among many asking citizens to call Frist's office at (202) 224-3344 and contact members of the judiciary committee.

A group called Grassroots PA points out Specter wrote a letter in 1995 to supporters that slammed the "far-right fringe" of the Republican Party.

The group pulled out quotes from Specter's letter:

"I want to strip the strident anti-choice language" from the GOP party plank.

"I will not give up our Party to radical extremists without a fight."

"Will you stand up to the far-right fringe that demands that legal abortion be banned?"

"I don't think the Republican Party should be blackmailed by any special interest group." James Dobson, head of Focus on the Family, called Specter's comments this week "the worst kind of political bullying."

The Family Research Council noted Spector led the fight against President Reagan's nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court, Robert Bork.

"He has a history of pandering to the aggressive abortion lobby and a Specter chairmanship would be disastrous," the FRC said in a statement.

As chairman, the FRC pointed out, "he would control the confirmation process of federal judges, including nominees to the Supreme Court. He would also determine the makeup of the Senate Judiciary Committee staff, which would go a long way toward determining the committee's political and judicial philosophy."

Concerned Women for America sent a letter yesterday to Frist, urging the majority leader to "use your considerable influence to prevent Sen. Specter from being placed in a position of trust to which he is clearly not suited."

CWA referred to the conventional wisdom that Specter would not have narrowly defeated popular conservative challenger Rep. Pat Toomey in the Republican primary without the support of President Bush.

"Some pay-back," CWA said. "Specter earned no mandate to tell the president that he did not earn 'a mandate' in his election victory."

CWA added, "Given the president's resounding victory by both popular and the Electoral College vote, and the Republicans' increased margin in the Senate to 55 seats, filibusters should be out of the question to consider and easy to defeat. This makes it all the more traitorous for Specter to give aid and comfort to those who've opposed the president’s judicial nominees."

A coalition of pro-life groups plans a "pray-in" outside the Dirksen Senate Office building Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. to help ensure Specter does not get the panel chairmanship.

The coalition, which says it hopes also to pray inside Frist's office, includes Troy Newman of Operation Rescue, Rev. Pat Mahoney of the Christian Defense Coalition, Rev. Rob Schenck of Faith and Action, and Chris Slattery, a pro-life, pro-family activist from New York City.

"We urge people to contact Senator Frist and let him know that the president needs a loyal man at the helm of the Judiciary Committee, and that man is not Senator Spector, " said Mahoney.

"Specter's attempt to challenge the right of the president to make judicial appointments is outrageous," said Newman. "He cannot be allowed to single-handedly hold nominees hostage with whom he has a personal ax to grind."

[guitarist]

I support opposing Specter. But even greater than removing Specter would be GETTING A YES VOTE FROM HIM on conservative appointees of Bush, as we got from him on Thomas. Grassley, Frist, et al need to be trusted to work Specter hard behind the scenes. But from our vantage point, keep pressing for a different chairman.

[Agitate]

Our voices are being heard!

Conservative wing raises fuss over Specter's views
Carl Hulse, New York Times
November 6, 2004
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Angry conservatives flooded Senate phone and fax lines Friday demanding that Republicans prevent Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., from presiding over the Judiciary Committee for saying two days earlier that judicial nominees who strongly oppose abortion might be rejected.

Republican senators and their aides, speaking privately for the most part, said the uproar posed an impediment for Specter, who is in line to succeed chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, atop the committee that examines judicial nominees. It was likely that he would still get the post, they said, but not certain. "He is not out of the woods," said one aide.
Stop Specter!


Contact the Offices of Senator Frist:

Washington, D.C. Office of Senator Bill Frist, M.D. 461 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 202-224-3344 202-228-1264 (fax)	Nashville 28 White Bridge Road Suite 211 Nashville, TN 37205 615-352-941 615-352-9985 (fax)
Chattanooga James Building 735 Broad Street, Suite 701 Chattanooga, TN 37402 423-756-2757 423-756-5313 (fax)	Jackson 200 East Main Street Suite 111 Jackson, TN 38301 731-424-9655 731-424-8322 (fax)
Kingsport/Tri-Cities 10368 Wallace Alley Street Suite 7 Kingsport, TN 37663 423-323-1252 423-323-0358 (fax)	Knoxville Twelve Oaks Executive Park Building One, Suite 170 Knoxville, TN 37919 865-602-7977 865-602-7979 (fax)
Memphis 5100 Poplar Avenue Suite 514 Memphis, TN 38137 901-683-1910 901-683-3610 (fax)

See also:
United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary
Find & Write your Senators & Reps Here
Senator Frist Web Form


See these threads form more addresses and sample letters:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1271959/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1271129/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1271211/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1270529/posts/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1272622/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1270632/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1270185/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1271838/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1272325/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1272062/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1272025/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1271617/posts

[MamaLucci]

“President Bush’s margin of victory proves that we “have a narrowly divided country, and that’s not a traditional mandate…the number-one item on my agenda is to try to move the party to the center.” - Sen. Arlen Specter, November 3, 2004.

This quote, made on the very day the President found out he'd been re-elected, should disqualify Specter from even being considered for the JC chairmanship, and he only has his own pompous self to blame.

[Henchman]

Specter will be the next Chair of the Judiciary Comm. It is obvious from what the "Religious" BUSH did to RTL Toomey in the primaries by supporting Sphincter. Accordingly the chastisement of SPECTER for his verbal challenge to BUSH's potential selections, by FRISK, was a SHOW! The show was a "put on" because Specter said what he said to be the foil for Supreme and other Federal Court appointments. "They" didn't expect the ground swell of opposition.

Expect the show to continue. I'd bet Specter BORKs us and is SELECTED, not ELECTED by one committee vote, as opposed to the will of the people... just to make it look good.

The GOP intends to expand its base of "moderate" abortionist stances so that the "moderate" murderers from the Dems drift over. The GOP is worried about 2008 instead of what is right, ethical and moral. Bush will prove himself a politician before he proves himself a man of Christian principles.

[bayourod]

"Santorum said Specter had "clarified that he does not support a litmus test for nominees with regard to their stance on abortion""

Word gamers, nothing but word games.

Specter has said he wants to avoid a filibuster. The Democrats will filibuster any nominee who is not pro-abortion. Therefore Specter opposes any nominee who is not pro-abortion.

Call your Senators and let them know you understand the power of the committee chairman and that you will not let them hide behind a secret ballot. .

The Chairman can decide which witnesses and how many testify and what questions they can ask. The Chairman can smooth the way through committee for a nominee or he can hang him out to be Borked.

[loboinok]

I wasn't aware that Specter had anything to do with the Thomas appointment!

[hermgem]

Spector amongst his pro votes for Supreme Court nominations continuously avoids to remind us why he voted no to nominate Bork, an extremely qualified jurist and scholar.
Did he cross the line and voted no to Bork's nomination in agreement with Democrats who discovered an article in the Constitution that calls for legalization of abortions?
Spector is compromised we need to keep distance from him.

[Henchman]

The NEW Chairman of the Judicial Comm, as I understand it, is elected by other Republican members of the Comm. I understand that most are conservative. In order to defeat Specter, it is necessary to contact these Senators. Someone please post their particulars.

Let the GOP they cannot take us for granted either! The House is up again in two years as are 33 Senators' seats, I believe. Hear us now, or hear us then!

Republican National Committee
310 First St. SE
Washington, DC 20003
Tel: (202) 863-8820
I do not have an effective email. The e-mail address on the WWW site is general, "info" and goes to .COM while the site is .ORG

President:
President@whitehouse.gov

WWW FORMS For Senatorial Contact.
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
OR
Your Senator - http://www.senate.gov Lookup (click) SENATORS they are alphabetical.

Majority Leader Bill Frist:
http://frist.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=AboutSenatorFrist.ContactForm
461 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510
Phone (202) 224-3344

Sen Lindsey Graham: (A possible Chair if he rejects Finance)
http://lgraham.senate.gov/index.cfm?mode=contactform
Washington Office
290 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-5972 phone

Orin Hatch , present Chair Judiciary Comm.:
http://hatch.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Offices.Contact
Washington DC Office
104 Hart Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-5251
Fax: (202) 224-6331

In Line after Specter:
Sen. Jon Kyl, AZ PH: 202-224-4521 FX: 202-224-2207
http://kyl.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Can elect to Chair in lieu of Specter:
Sen. Saxby Chambliss, GA PH: 202-224-3521 FX: 202-224-0103
http://grassley.senate.gov/webform.htm

Or email the Devil Himself:
"Payback for BORK".
arlen_specter@specter.senate.gov

[SeasideSparrow]

Henchman said: "The GOP intends to expand its base of "moderate" abortionist stances so that the "moderate" murderers from the Dems drift over. The GOP is worried about 2008 instead of what is right, ethical and moral. Bush will prove himself a politician before he proves himself a man of Christian principles."

If that happens, the Republicans will lose in 2008 guaranteed. And the liberal media knows it. That's why they're sprouting the lie that Karl Rove made Bush win. That's why they're undermining the huge impact the moral conservatives had on this election. They want the Republicans to ignore their best voting base so they lose the next time around.

The primary reason Bush won this time is because moral conservatives voted in droves.

Grassroots moral activists rallied the troops and they went forward! If the moral mandate is not given the attention it deserves during the next four years, you can bet the Republicans will lose in 2008.

I hope it doesn't happen, but we can't support people who don't support our values.

Are you listening out there.....shouting it to the rooftops in Washington, D.C.

[Salvation]

Catechism of the Catholic Church and what it says about those who support abortion

What does this say about Senator Specter?

[ConservativeGadfly]

No, Lindsay Graham is not the chair of Finance, Charles Grassley is. It is Grassley who has the seniority but will probably not give up his chairmanship of Finance. Kyl would be acceptable, but he has a leadership position as chair of the Republican Policy Committee. So, where does that leave us?

My vote would be for Sessions. He's solid, and since Specter BORKED Sessions when Sessions was a judicial nominee during Bush 41, there is sort of a poetic justice to the whole idea. No one would be more fair than someone who had been through the meat grinder himself.

[Henchman]

Thanks for pointing out the misstatement. Here is the Grassley Link:
Sen. Chuck Grassley, possible substitute for Specter if he drops Finance Chair.
http://grassley.senate.gov/webform.htm

However, since neither BUSH nor Frist has said anything publicly, seniority will stand. Soecter will chair. I think Sphincter knows his role and stated it. I believe Specter, Frist, and BUSH were shocked at our out cry.

Nevertheless, they will try to ride this out. Specter will be chair, Frist will never force any thing to the floor, and Bush will have attempted to preserve and expand the GOP "moderate" (Murderate) base for 2008.

[bayourod]

You are way off. President Bush is a Christian first. Period. He will always do what he believes is best to promote life. You may disagree with what he thinks is the best strategy, but don't ever doubt his commitment to life.

From day one he has consistently said that the abortion laws will never be changed until the hearts of the American people are changed. During the 2000 primaries his opponents (Keyes, Bauer, Buchanan, Forbes) were making absurd promises (lies) such as saying they would outlaw abortion by executive order on the first day.

Bush never promised anything, not even to appoint judges who would reverse ROE. Instead he said what he believed was true. That hearts must be changed first.

Bush has changed hearts. He didn't mention abortion. Instead he made his first major issue embryonic stem cell research. He hyped the issue for a solid month, even sending Laura out on the talk show circuit to tease people about her opinion on the subject.

His first prime time TV appearance was solely about embryonic stem cell research.

Stop and think about what he did. He created a national debate on whether destroying an embryo was killing a human. The feminists groups were caught off guard and defenseless. There was no pro-killing embryos constituency. Single women weren't threatened by the embryo killing ban.

President Bush moved the life debate all the way back to conception. Partial birth abortion didn't stand a chance after that.

Whoever runs for President in 2008 will decide his own abortion stance. Bush won't have any say in it. Go bitch to the prospective candidates and get off Bush's back.

[ConservativeGadfly]

Don't bet on it. I work on the judicial nominations issue for a living and my contacts say just the opposite is true. We are having an effect. And don't forget, Frist is the guy who went out to South Dakota and campaigned against his counterpart on the Left, Tom Daschle. Talk about breaking with Senate tradition!

We have to keep up the calls and emails, though and give them a reason to break with tradition. Don't listen to the naysayers or rely upon conventional wisdom here. It is a different landscape now.

[Henchman]

Located a list of the REPs who will select Specter as Chair. The names were on one of the links above. I added their WWW email links. The talking heads are on TV, foils for BUSH and the GOP Senators. No mention of BORK and others Specter trashed. The Talking Heads are saying what a nice guy Specter is. I doubt BUSH will keep his promise to us.

BUSH's latest ad is that he is "reaching out to all Americans". He will play ball and we get the bat! Get along, go along.

Republican Members of the U. S. Senate Judiciary Committee (all pro-life except SPECTOR):

Sen. Orrin Hatch, UT, current Committee Chair PH: 202-224-5251 FX: 202-224-6331
kyl.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Sen. Jon Kyl, AZ PH: 202-224-4521 FX: 202-224-2207
kyl.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Sen. John Cornyn, TX PH: 202-224-2934 FX: 202-228-2856
cornyn.senate.gov/contact/index.html

Sen. Charles Grassley, IA PH: 202-224-3744 FX: 319-363-7179
grassley.senate.gov/webform.htm

Sen. Mike DeWine, OH PH: 202-224-2315 FX: 202-224-6519
dewine.senate.gov

Sen. Jeff Sessions, AL PH: 202-224-4124 FX: 202-224-3149
sessions.senate.gov/contact.htm#form

Sen. Lindsey Graham, SC PH: 202-224-5972 FX: 202-224-3808
grassley.senate.gov/webform.htm

Sen. Larry Craig, ID PH: 202-224-2752 FX: 202-228-1067
craig.senate.gov/webform.html

Sen. Saxby Chambliss, GA PH: 202-224-3521 FX: 202-224-0103
chambliss.senate.gov/Contact/default.cfm?pagemode=1

Or email the Pro Abortion Devil Himself:
"Payback for BORK".
arlen_specter@specter.senate.gov

[Safrguns]

In all of these discussions, (and i've read a great deal of them) I havn't heard much talk about where God stands on this issue. I'm sure most would agree that God doesn't want Specter in that committee at all... but not a peep from anyone so far about praying Specter outa there. I know God wanted Daschel out of office from prophecies I heard about, and he is GONE. If God want's Specter off the committee, and His church prays for it, I can guarantee you Specter is history. So in addition to your emails, phone calls, and petitions, let us not forget the most important petition of all.

[ConservativeGadfly]

I've never stopped praying.

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

Mr. Spector, I think you should play nicely.

Welcome to FR, SS. :)