Leadership Conference Applauds Cloture Vote on Estrada Nomination
Feature Story by civilrights.org staff - 3/6/2003
The cloture vote on Miguel Estrada sends a message that "it is unacceptable to force the U.S. Senate and the American people to approve stealth judicial candidates and those who subscribe to a 'states rights' philosophy" that curtails Congress' power to enact critical civil rights legislation, stated Wade Henderson, executive director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR), the nation's oldest, largest, and most diverse civil and human rights coalition.LCCR opposes Estrada's confirmation for a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Stating that Estrada has "failed to demonstrate his qualifications and suitability for this prestigious position," Henderson expressed concern that he is a "far-right stealth nominee, who has been unwilling to discuss the views of important legal issues."
Henderson commended Senate Democrats for standing up to the President's "strategy of packing the courts with right wing ideologues."
"LCCR will continue to urge the Senate to exercise its constitutional responsibility to full scrutinize President Bush's judicial nominees to ensure a fair, balanced, and independent judiciary, " Henderson stated.
