Momentum Builds Against Pickering
Feature Story by Suzanne Lee - 2/6/2002
WASHINGTON, D.C., Feb. 6- Opposition to judicial nominee, Charles Pickering, Sr., to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals continues to mount as the second round of his Senate confirmation hearing begins Thursday, February 7th.In addition to the national civil rights organizations that voiced their protests to the nomination of Judge Pickering in a press conference January 24, over twenty organizations have joined the mounting opposition to this controversial nomination including the Human Rights Campaign, the National Association of Social Workers, and the National Council of Women's Organizations and the opposition continues to grow.
Press all across the nation have been a major source of opposition to the nomination of Charles Pickering, Sr. The Los Angeles Times on February 6th included an editorial opposing the nomination of Pickering, calling for the nomination to be put down: "Pickering's decisions in voting rights, discrimination and prisoner rights cases display indifference if not hostility to those asking the courts to remedy injustice... the American people have the right to expect their judges, especially those on the powerful appeals court, to listen to each case with an open mind and judge it on the law and its merits. Pickering can't do that."
The Detroit Free Press, in a January 26 editorial against the nomination, vehemently opposed the nomination and pointedly called the Senate Judiciary Committee to reject the district court judge: "Pickering is an unreconstructed Dixiecrat whose writings, votes, and record over the course of a long legal and political career evince a disturbing degree of bias against civil rights, women's rights, civil liberties and black Americans in general."
Other major news organizations have also covered the opposition against Pickering, including ABC News, the Washington Post, and the New York Times. Pickering's home state of Mississippi has also covered the growing opposition to the judicial nominee, such as the Clarion-Ledger, the Laurel Leader, and the Picayune Item.
Grassroots activists across the nation are organizing and taking action to help the cause against Pickering as well. Activists from Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and even Pickering's home state Mississippi have all been active, and effective, on the grassroots level to oppose the nominee.
In addition, radio personalities Tavis Smiley and Tom Joyner voiced their opposition to the nomination of Charles Pickering on their syndicated morning talk show. Smiley had harsh words for the Pickering nomination and what he called the President's plan to pack the courts with "judges that are hostile to civil rights." Moreover, he urged his listeners to contact their senators to voice their protests and to attend the Senate confirmation hearing February 7th.
Finally, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) scheduled a press conference on Capitol Hill to voice their opposition to the nomination of Judge Pickering. The CBC opposes Pickering's nomination based on his conservative record throughout his career. The CBC has raised concerns over Pickering's views on voting rights, equal pay, criminal rights, women's reproductive rights, and criminal penalties for interracial marriages.
