Prometheus 6: Whomp 'em

November 03, 2003

Whomp 'em

This could have gone under "Politics," I guess.

MB at Wampum discusses Jane Galt's accusation that Democrats are playing the race card…and discovers it's Jane that's doing the dealing.

LATER: It's Dwight Meredith, not MB. I forgot Dwight, ex of P.L.A., is blogging at Wampum nowadays.

Jane Galt recently played the race card. Jane accuses Democrats of racial discrimination in the confirmation of Federal appellate court judges. Specifically, Jane charges that:

Democrats are pretty clearly trying to keep conservative minorities off the appellate bench.

She even suggests that the Democrats would be guilty of violating discrimination laws if their conduct had occurred in the private sector.

The results of the inquiry?

Mr. Bush has nominated other minorities to the bench. Those nominees are conservatives. As Jane has noted, �George Bush is going to nominate conservative judges because George Bush is a conservative.� Before Democrats are charged with �trying to keep conservative minorities off the appellate bench� those other nominations should be considered. In Jane�s comments, Alkali sets the record straight, listing the minority nominations to the Federal bench:

Confirmed, Hispanic: Christina Armijo (NM), Phillip Martinez (TX), Randy Crane (TX), Jose Martinez (FL), Alia Ludlum (TX), Jose Linares (NJ), Edward Prado (5th Circuit), Consuelo Callahan (9th Circuit), S. James Otero (CA), Cecilia Altonaga (FL), Xavier Rodriguez (TX), Frank Rodriguez Montalvo (TX)

Not confirmed, Hispanic: Miguel Estrada (DC Circuit)

Confirmed, African-American(*): Beggie B. Walton (DC), Julie A. Robinson (KS), Legrome D. Davis Pennsylvania (PA), Percy Anderson (CA), Lavenski R. Smith (8th Circuit), Henry Edward Autry (MO), Morrison C. England, Jr. (CA)

Not confirmed, African-American: Janice Rogers Brown (DC Circuit) (at least not yet)

(*) Does not include two nominees which were originally nominated by Pres. Clinton. Also omitted are two African-American nominees who are expected to be confirmed shortly.

By my count, that is 19 minority nominees confirmed, two more likely to be confirmed, one defeated, and one pending. In fairness, though, Jane�s charge was limited to nominees to the Circuit (appellate) Court bench while Alkali�s list includes nominees to the trial (District) courts.

Assuming Alkali�s list to be accurate, when only Circuit Court nominations are considered, Edward Prado (5th Circuit), Consuelo Callahan (9th Circuit) and Lavenski R. Smith (8th Circuit) have been confirmed while Estrada and Brown have not.

MB then discusses the reasons for opposing Brown's nomination. Reasons no one would be surprised about, if it were a white candidate.

By insisting on making the discussion of Brown (and Estrada) a racial issue, Republicans are looking for a racial preference, differential treatment for these candidates because of their race. Which doesn't surprise me.

Posted by P6 at November 3, 2003 12:24 PM | Trackback URL: http://www.prometheus6.org/mt/mt-tb.cgi/2181

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