Email from Sen. Tom Carper regarding William Pryor

[molly]

I received this today - Joe always replies, but this is the first lengthy reply I have received from my "junior" senator. If you haven't already contacted your congress people regarding this subject - please do so ASAP.
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Thank you for contacting my office to express your concerns about William Pryor's nomination to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. I
appreciate hearing your views on this matter.

As you know, a number of President Bush's judicial nominations in the 108th Congress have been the subject of significant debate. Although the vast majority of his nominations have been approved in the Senate, I have voted against several nominees who I believe are far too controversial for a federal judgeship as well as measures to end the debate on the nominations of Miguel Estrada and Judge Priscilla Owen. While I have always tried to work to end the partisan gridlock that from time to time keeps the Senate from addressing the important issues that we must confront, I will not support the nominations of individuals to a lifetime position on the federal bench that I believe are unfit to serve our country.

I understand that William Pryor's nomination to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals has alarmed legal experts. Mr. Pryor has been criticized for his tenure as Alabama Attorney General. Mr. Pryor's critics believe that among other things he has actively worked to oppose civil rights, reproductive rights, and environmental protections. The Senate Judiciary Committee recently approved Mr. Pryor's nomination on a party line vote.

In my position as a United States Senator, I take Article II, Section 2 of the United States Constitution, which states that the President of the United States "shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint" our federal judges, both literally and seriously. I believe that an important part of my job is to carefully examine each nomination considered in the Senate.

As a former governor, though, I understand President Bush's right and desire to surround himself with those he believes can best serve in our judicial branch of government. Filling our federal courts with competent and fair-minded jurists is an important aspect of the President's job, just as it was a crucial part of my post as Delaware's chief executive. In considering potential jurists to our federal judiciary, I use criteria that I developed as governor to nominate approximately two-thirds of our state's judges to the terms that they are currently serving. In general, I look for judicial candidates with the following attributes:

1) a sound moral character;
1) a strong work ethic;
2) a complete knowledge of the law;
3) a willingness to listen to both sides of an argument;
4) the propensity for judicial temperament; and,
5) a willingness to make difficult decisions, coupled with the ability to make sound opinions.

As the debate continues on Mr. Pryor's nomination, I will both keep
your sentiments in mind and follow those judicial guidelines that I
utilized as governor if I have an opportunity to vote on his appointment. Ultimately, it is important that the federal judiciary is comprised of well-qualified, open-minded, and capable judges.

Thank you again for contacting my office. Please do not hesitate to
contact me in the future about this matter or other issues of importance to you.

With best personal regards, I am

Sincerely Thomas R. Carper

[DagmarK]

1. All that......and he won't call a spade a spade......

Whew......the epitome of the non-answer......

Sounds like he is very OPEN to supporting his president!!!!! Nah, there's not radical right effort to FUCK our entire judicial system.....no, Mr. Carper......every nominee is a simple individual and we mustn't fall victim to tin-foil hat thinking and blatantly accuse the president of trying to turn our country into fascist regime. yeah, senator, keep up the good work.

[molly]

3. Gee - you must have read something that I didn't?

[DagmarK]

4. Did you not express specific concerns about pryor in YOUR letter?

Or did you just write a simple "request for info on how all this judicial nomination stuff works" letter to Carper?

Maybe you should post what YOUR email was.....

Cause your senator just gave you a simple little ditty on civics 101.

As a dem, he is not willing to address YOUR specific concerns. I am ASSUMING you listed what your problem was with Pryor. My assumption .....sorry.

[molly]

5. Delaware is a small state - we just assume everyone

knows our senators stance as we do.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

2. AHEM...a willingness to listen to both sides and make sound opinions?

I'd say that disqualifies Mr. Pryor. Better practice what you preach Mr. Carper:

3) a willingness to listen to both sides of an argument;
4) the propensity for judicial temperament; and,
5) a willingness to make difficult decisions, coupled with the ability to make sound opinions.


Those 3 alone disqualify Pryor.