More Leahy Hypocrisy

Time to vote on Justice Owen:

"Immediately, Democratic Sens. Charles Schumer and Patrick Leahy, (Mr. Leahy would become chairman of the Judiciary Committee when Democrats gained majority power in the Senate three months later) wrote to President Bush, stating: 'We firmly believe that ending the long-established practice of ABA review would dilute the quality of the federal bench. The process of judicial selection needs more information about the competence and integrity of potential nominees, not less.'

Senate Democrats resuscitated the ABA's role, with Mr. Leahy stating that he regarded the group's evaluation as 'the gold standard' for evaluating judges. Shortly after the nomination of Justice Owen, the ABA unanimously gave her its highest rating of 'well-qualified.'

But in September 2002, when committee Democrats finally got around to voting on the Owen nomination, it was rejected on a 10-9 party-line vote. Justice Owen thus became the first nominee in history who received a unanimous, 'well-qualified' rating by the 'gold-standard' ABA to be denied a floor vote by the Judiciary Committee. Having been endorsed by Georgia Democratic Sen. Zell Miller, she would almost certainly have won confirmation on the Senate floor. "

Editorial from the Washington Times.