Senate judicial jihads must end
I guess it should have been expected, but it was disappointing that Mississippi’s senators chose to fall into the same partisan pressures than now impact how the federal judiciary is chosen.
Wicker is new to the job and does not have much of a record of being independent in his House service. He took the safe vote.
Cochran is different. He voted for Sotomayor for the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, but said he was now concerned that she would be the final law of the land. Strange reasoning.
I don’t believe that they believe their own rhetoric on this one, but that’s the problem with these partisan judicial jihads. The senators are subjected to so many outside special-interest pressures that casting an independent vote on the competence and character is secondary.
This is not a critical vote for Mississippi senators; they know she will be confirmed and don’t need the grief of stepping up for her. But it is one they should have had some sensitivity to based on how nominees from this state have been treated.
Clarion-Ledger
7/26/9
Magnolia Tribune
