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BORK SENATOR SPECTER

By Chuck Muth

November 6, 2004

While the pundits and politicos can and will argue ‘til the cows come home over the extent and nature of George W. Bush’s re-election mandate, it is indisputable that conservatives of all stripes primarily turned out and voted for the President to continue doing three things: (1) Keep killing bad guys before they kill us, (2) Keep cutting taxes; the more the better, and (3) Keep appointing conservative, strict constructionist judges to the bench.

That the next president is likely to have an opportunity to appoint 1-4 new Supreme Court justices wasn’t some minor side issue; it was a HUGE consideration.  The impact of judicial appointments lives on long after the chief executive leaves office.

And just in case there is any doubt about just how important the judicial nominations issue was on November 2, consider that Senate Minority Tom Daschle - who relentlessly blocked President Bush’s conservative judicial nominees for the past two years - became the first minority leader in history to lose a bid for re-election.  Voters sent a clear and unmistakable message that they do NOT want the president’s judicial nominees obstructed.

All of which brings us to Sen. Arlen Specter, Pennsylvania Republican.

As you probably already know, Sen. Specter, by virtue of his seniority, is slotted to take over as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee next year. And in a shot across President Bush’s bow just days after the election, Sen. Specter warned the White House not to send “conservative” nominees to his committee, telling the Associated Press that “the number-one item on my agenda is to try to move the (Republican) party to the center.”

This is nothing new for Sen. Specter.  He has a 20 year career of obstructing and blocking conservative judicial nominees.

Recall that Sen. Specter led the opposition to President Reagan’s nomination of conservative Judge Robert Bork, voting against Judge Bork both on the judiciary committee AND on the Senate floor.

Sen. Specter also was instrumental in blocking the nomination of another conservative Reagan appointee, Jeff Sessions, to the federal bench.  In addition, Sen. Specter has refused to support the possibility of promoting conservative Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas or Justice Antonin Scalia to the position of Chief Justice should such a vacancy occur.

And let’s not forget Sen. Specter’s tortured “Scottish law” dodge in voting to let Bill Clinton off the hook in his impeachment trial.

But back to the matter at hand.  Immediately after Sen. Specter’s “warning” to President Bush, a firestorm of conservative anger was unleashed.  Recognizing that he hadn’t yet been elected to Chair the Judiciary Committee and may have opened his mouth too big/too soon, Sen. Specter “revised and extended” his warning the next day, saying he didn’t really mean what he clearly said.  Any conservative who buys that ought to have his head examined.  He meant every word of it...and then some.

The Chairman of the Judiciary Committee has enormous power to either stall or ease the confirmation process of judicial nominees.   There is no doubt that once in the chairman’s seat, Sen. Specter would use every ounce of that power to block conservative judges who don’t meet his personal “moderate” litmus test.  And once elected, it would take dynamite to get him out of that chair.

The only way to avoid this conservative post-election train wreck is to BLOCK Sen. Specter from attaining the Judiciary Committee chairmanship the same way he blocked Judge Bork and Judge Sessions...and would block any conservative judicial nominees down he road.  A majority of Republicans in the Senate simply MUST vote AGAINST Sen. Specter for Chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

Republican senators won’t take such drastic action against one of their colleagues UNLESS a ton of grassroots pressure is visited upon them. 

BRUSHFIRE ALERT:  Conservatives didn’t re-elect President Bush and get rid of Tom Daschle only to have Sen. Specter stand in the confirmation doorway with a “Do Not Enter” sign.  It is absolutely critical for conservatives to IMMEDIATELY contact Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and urge him and his colleagues to find someone else to chair the Judiciary Committee.  Time is of the essence here.  The window of opportunity to block Sen. Specter is very short...and closing quickly.

Make no mistake: Grassroots opposition to Specter is already having an impact here.  The New York Times reports that Senate aides are now saying “while it was likely (Sen. Specter) would still get the post, it was no longer a certainty.”  And Sen. Specter apparently realizes it, because the Times also reports that “He has been contacting his colleagues in an effort to calm the situation.”

Yes, voting against a senator with seniority is a drastic measure...but the long-term stakes in this instance are simply THAT important.  And you can’t expect Members of the Senate to take such drastic action without a FIRESTORM of protest coming from grassroots activists.  So even if you’ve contacted Sen. Frist already, it sure won’t hurt to contact him again...and again...and again.  By phone.  By fax.  And by email.

So please start by signing our “Bork Senator Specter” online petition at http://www.chuckmuth.com/petition/

And then forward this urgent activist call to arms to everyone in your address book.

“If you haven’t yet written me about the chairmanship of the Judiciary Committee, don’t (please)!!!  My mailbox is overflowing!!!  We are addressing the issue appropriately within the institution of the Senate in a respectful and appropriate way that will be beneficial to the President.”- Majority Leader Bill Frist’s PAC newsletter

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