Pickering
deserves a
just vote and fair chance |
As
we go to press, Judge Charles Pickering’s nomination
to a United States appellate court is again being blocked.
This is—once more—a travesty, a disgrace, a
shame and a smear against a fine man.
Senator Patrick Leahy of the People’s Republic of
Vermont (the only state in the union who can elect a socialist,
Bernie Sanders, to major public office) used his authority
under Senate rules to delay a committee vote on Judge Pickering’s
nomination. His reason for doing so? “...The insensitivity
it shows to the Congressional Black Caucus and to their
strong and abiding opposition to this nomination.”
(No word yet on the Black Caucus’ reaction to Leahy
acting as their spokesman).
This delay tactic comes a mere day after a letter from Mississippi
Governor Ronnie Musgrove, Attorney General Mike Moore, Secretary
of State Eric Clark, Commissioner of Agriculture Lester
Spell and Insurance Commissioner George Dale, in which all
Democratic leaders enthusiastically and unabashedly endorse
and praise Judge Pickering. The letter was sent to U.S.
Senate leaders. In total contrast to Leahy’s pandering
to the Black Caucus, this letter of endorsement praised
Judge Pickering’s work on improving race relations,
including most notably his excellent service on the board
of the University of Mississippi’s Institute for Racial
Reconciliation. Even The Clarion-Ledger went so far as to
call Pickering’s treatment before the Judiciary Committee
as a “travesty. He has been used as a whipping boy
for Democrats seeking to stymie President Bush’s judicial
nominations in a political tit-for-tat” a September
25 editorial in the paper rightfully noted.
I’m not a legal expert by any stretch of the imagination.
But I can spot political games and blackballing a mile away
and that is exactly what Judge Pickering is experiencing
from Leahy and his politically-correct ilk. Judge Charles
Pickering is a fine man who seeks to carry the law out,
not interpret it for his own political or ideological means.
This country desperately needs men of principle and tradition
who are not afraid to stand for the values that made this
country great and continue to do so in spite of concerted
attacks by innumerable leftist judges who are on the legal
offensive all over the country on a regular basis. Charles
Pickering is one such man. The battle over Judge Charles
Pickering is deeper than mere Republican versus Democrat
political one-upmanship. It is, more fundamentally, a battle
for the spirit and continuation of those values that the
Judge, and I, and many other Americans, including Democrats,
stand for. Those values include fairness, equality, justice
and objectivity...before the law. Not before the biased,
subjective whim of a judge, which is becoming the case in
this country more and more.
I don’t know Judge Pickering well. In fact, I have
only met him on a few occasions in passing. However, in
those brief meetings, and through people I know who do know
him well, it is obvious that he is a decent, intelligent
man whose commitment to principles is well-respected. Except,
perhaps, to out-of-touch Northeastern politicians. Judge
Pickering—and our Mississippi leaders realize this—will
be an excellent choice as an appellate court judge. The
fact that he is being blocked repeatedly is a sickening
spectacle. I wish Judge Pickering well. I hope he gets his
day—as he should—before the Judiciary Committee
As always, your comments and opinions are welcome. DBJ
Scott Coopwood
Publisher
