Specter Stands Alone: No GOPer on Jud Cmte Willing to Declare Support for Specter--Not Even Santorum

Human Events Online ^ | November 9, 2004 | Robert B. Bluey

[hinterlander]

Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter has failed to secure public support from members of the Judiciary Committee, and now even Pennsylvania’s junior senator, Rick Santorum, is officially "undecided" about supporting Specter's bid to chair the Judiciary Committee, according to a spokesman with the Senate Republican Conference, which Santorum leads.

More than half of the members on the Senate Judiciary Committee are declining to say whether they plan to support Sen. Specter's bid to become the committee's chairman when the 10-member panel votes by secret ballot in January.

Conservative groups opposed to Specter flooded Senate Republican offices with phone calls after Specter suggested President Bush shouldn't nominate judges who oppose abortion. Specter has since backed away from his comments.

Six of the nine members of the Judiciary Committee declined give a yes or no answer, opting instead to remain uncommitted.

Judiciary Committee

Sen. Orrin G. Hatch -- Did not return calls
104 Hart Senate Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-5251
Fax: (202) 224-6331

Sen. Charles E. Grassley -- Wouldn't say
135 Hart Senate Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-3744
Fax: (202) 224-6020

Sen. Jon Kyl -- Did not return calls
730 Hart Senate Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-4521
Fax: (202) 224-2207

Sen. Mike DeWine -- Wouldn't say
140 Russell Senate Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-2315
Fax: (202) 224-6519

Sen. Jeff Sessions -- Wouldn't say
335 Russell Senate Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Tel: (202) 224-4124
Fax: (202) 224-3149

Sen. Lindsey Graham -- Did not return calls
290 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-5972
Fax: (202) 224-1189

Sen. Larry Craig -- Wouldn't say
520 Hart Senate Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-2752
Fax: (202) 228-1067

Sen. Saxby Chambliss -- Wouldn't say
416 Russell Senate Building
Washington, DC 20515
Tel: (202) 224-3521
Fax: (202) 224-0103

Sen. John Cornyn -- Wouldn't say
517 Hart Senate Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-2934
Fax: (202) 228-2856

Republican leadership

Sen. Bill Frist, Majority Leader -- Did not return calls
461 Dirksen Senate Building
Washington, DC 20510-4205
Tel: (202) 224-3344
Fax: (202) 228-1264

Sen. Mitch McConnell, Majority Whip -- Did not return calls
361-A Russell Senate Building
Washington, DC 20510-1702
Tel: (202) 224-2541
Fax: (202) 224-2499

Sen. Rick Santorum, Conference Chairman -- Undecided
511 Senate Dirksen Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-6324
Fax: (202) 228-0604

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, Conference Vice Chairman -- Did not return calls
284 Russell Senate Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-5922
Fax: (202) 224-0776

[angelanddevil2]

I don't know how to take this, whether good news or bad news. Anyway, how is the process and when will it take place?. When will we know the outcome?.

[xzins]

Work Teams.

Conservative Christian/Pro-Life/Pro-Family political work teams are saying privately that they will not offer coordinated workers and staffing for republicans supporting Specter.

Work teams are worth untold millions of dollars to politicians.

Political suicide to oppose.

[NYer]

Woo hoo!

[hinterlander]

What I hear is that GOP senate leadership elections (leader, whip, etc.) are next week and committee chairmanships will be finalized in January.

[AmishDude]

Specter brought this on himself. He thought he would be the big man in Washington and assert his authority. I know Hugh Hewitt is opposed to excising Specter, but the idea that Specter will bring Collins, Snowe and Chafee onboard is not true. Specter is a jerk and nobody likes him.

[eastsider]

Specter Stands Alone

Hi-ho, the derry-o ...

[Paul C. Jesup]

I think everyone should remember that Orrin G. Hatch is a RIAA/MPAA servant who tried to push the Anti-Technology/Anti-consumer "Induce" Act earlier this year. So if Spector doesn't get the Chairmanship, FOR GOD'S SAKE (AND OURS) DO NOT LET HATCH GET THE CHAIRMANSHIP EITHER!!!!!

[OXENinFLA]

FOR GOD'S SAKE (AND OURS) DO NOT LET HATCH GET THE CHAIRMANSHIP EITHER!!!!!

ummmmmmmmmmmm He's the ougoing Chairman

[hinterlander]

Hatch is term-limited out. Not likely that the GOP will change their caucus rules on term limits. However, they may go against precedent and put DeWine, Kyl, Sessions, Graham, Cornyn, or Chambliss in the Chair.

[Varda]

I've been trying to call Santorum's office to no avail. I think he's taken the phone off the hook.

[truthandlife]

The Republican leadership is hoping this will die out and they can go ahead and nominate Specter. It is very important for none of this to die out and continue to pressure the Senate leadership in saying "NO" to Specter. The Republicans do not want to lose momentum in the next Congressional session and they will lose a ton of conservative Republicans support if they okay Specter.

Continue to phone and email these Senators until it becomes unbearable for them to support Specter.

[NeoCaveman]

In my latest and newest opinion on this one, dang i've been a lot like Kerry on this one lol, I say let's go for the kill. The Senate pubs have yet to protect him so I think they must have surveyed the RINO's and found that even they don't want Specter....

Silence = concent.

[hinterlander]

He's also Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference. Website: http://www.senate.gov/~src/home/index.cfm

Sen. GOP Conference Phone #: 202-224-2764

[George W. Bush]

Call your GOP senators. Keep calling. Get your friends and relatives to call.

I called today. I'll wait a few days and call again if my senator won't take a position.

[Cyclopean Squid]

"Specter brought this on himself."

He sure did. Every time I start to feel sorry for him, I remind myself that minutes after W's triumph he told reporters that the President "does not have a mandate." He may not have known it at the time, but he torpedoed his career.

[1Old Pro]

Well that's a switch for Santorum who I read earlier was supporting Specter.

[Varda]

Thanks

[Paine in the Neck]

I called them all today (except DeWine, who wasn't answering his phone) and told them I'd support any of them who stepped forward to offer themselves as chairman and any who voted for that person. Keep calling, they're getting the idea that we're serious.

[cardinal4]

I just called all of the R Senators on the committee. Every staffer I talked to said there had been thousands of opposition calls since Friday. Keep up the good work!