Sen. Leahys to Vote No On The Gorsuch Nomination, And To Also Oppose advancing The Nom.
Source: www.leahy.senate.gov
Let me begin with the nomination of Rod Rosenstein to be Deputy Attorney General. Mr. Rosenstein has spent 27 years in the Justice Department and the last 12 years as U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland. He has a reputation for integrity that is unusual for this administration’s nominees. But, if confirmed, he will inherit a situation that no Justice Department nominee has faced since 1973: an active criminal investigation into a sitting president’s campaign and administration. Every week, new evidence surfaces indicating that Trump campaign officials colluded with a hostile foreign power to influence the election and undermine our democracy. Numerous senior officials from the Trump campaign have been caught lying about their communications with Russian officials. Even the Attorney General was forced to recuse himself after the press revealed that he misled this Committee about his own contacts. And time and again, the White House has demonstrated that it will not respect the independence of any investigation. Whomever assumes the role of Deputy Attorney General in this administration will face extraordinary tests of integrity. It is against this unprecedented backdrop that we consider Mr. Rosenstein’s nomination today.
Anyone paying attention, let alone someone familiar with the Justice Department rules, understands that this situation calls for appointment of a Special Counsel. Americans deserve an investigation that is independent and inspires public confidence. This issue is too important for us to skew for partisan motivations. Country must come before party. Mr. Rosenstein assured me and others that on the matter of Russian interference in our election, he is on the American side, not the Russian side. I trust that he will hold true to that statement.
If confirmed, Mr. Rosenstein will face other critical tests as well, including whether he will continue to support the Justice Department’s Smart on Crime initiative, focusing the most serious criminal penalties on the most serious offenders. I will vote to advance Mr. Rosenstein’s nomination today because I expect him to do the right thing when facing such pivotal issues.
Now, the nomination of Judge Gorsuch. I said weeks ago that I was approaching this nomination with an open mind. My votes on Supreme Court nominations have never been about reflexive partisanship. I have evaluated every nominee on the merits – and I have voted to confirm six Supreme Court nominees of Republican presidents. Unlike Committee Republicans’ treatment of Chief Judge Merrick Garland, I take my constitutional duty to independently evaluate a president’s Supreme Court nominees seriously. That includes Judge Gorsuch. . . .
I respect this institution as much as anyone. For over 42 years I have devoted myself to the good that it can accomplish. But I cannot vote solely to protect an institution when the rights of hardworking Americans are at risk. I fear the Senate I would be defending no longer exists. I have often said that the Senate, at its best, can be the conscience of the Nation. I must now vote my conscience, both today and later this week. My conscience will not allow me to ratify the Majority Leader’s actions – not last year and not this year. I will not support advancing this nomination.
Read more: https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/statement-of-senator-patrick-leahy-on-the-nomination-of-neil-gorsuch-to-be-an-associate-justice-of-the-supreme-court
= new reply since forum marked as read
Rogue, can you post the entire article please?
Because we're not allowed to see it, I got "access denied".
This is good news, thanks!
