by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
Senators upset by attempts to rush through the confirmation of David Hamilton, President Obama’s first judicial nominee, boycotted the hearing yesterday because they want more time to study his credentials.
According to a report by Life News.com, Sen. Orrin Hatch, a leading GOP member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, complained that Democrats never gave any of former President Bush’s nominees a timely hearing and said they needed more time to research Hamilton’s background.
Hamilton, currently a federal judge in Indiana, has been nominated to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.
“There is no reason for scheduling a drive-by hearing only days after nomination except to turn the Senate into a rubber stamp for President Obama’s nominees,” Hatch said, according to the Deseret News. “Senators take their advice and consent role seriously and need enough time to discharge this responsibility.”
Hamilton’s nomination has drawn strong opposition from pro-life groups because Hamilton single-handedly prevented the enforcement of Indiana’s informed consent law, which allows women to be given information before an abortion that points out its alternatives and medical risks.
Prior to becoming a federal judge, Hamilton served as the vice president for litigation and a board member of the Indiana branch of the ACLU, a top pro-abortion law firm.
Instead of attending the hearing yesterday, Senate Republicans released a letter to Chairman Patrick Leahy, the pro-abortion committee chairman.
“None of President Bush’s circuit court nominees received a hearing so quickly,” their letter said. They asked Leahy to wait to hold the hearing until after the Senate breaks next week for its Easter Day recess.
The letter also noted that Senate Democrats took, on average, 166 days to schedule hearings for Bush’s nominees while Hamilton’s nomination came from President Obama just weeks ago.
Leahy responded that Republicans are merely trying to stall or obstruct the confirmation process and pointed out that he delayed hearings on other Obama nominees at their request.
“I understand that senators could always use more time to prepare and that this is a busy week. However, with a two-week Easter recess approaching, I did not want to delay this proceeding another two weeks,” Leahy said.
Contact your members of the Senate and express your opposition to Hamilton’s nomination. You can find contact information for any senator at
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
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