Nice to see Republicans fighting back recently. The latest came today from the RNC over Ted Kennedy’s recent remarks about Alito:
WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 /U.S. Newswire/ — Following is a release from the Republican National Committee:
“It’s laughable that Ted Kennedy of all people is attacking Judge Alito’s integrity. Senator Kennedy was one of the most outspoken defenders of Judge Stephen Breyer during his confirmation hearing when similar issues arose just over a decade ago. Just as he did with Chief Justice Roberts, Ted Kennedy will undoubtedly oppose Judge Alito’s nomination, all he’s doing is injecting naked partisan politics into what should be a dignified process.”
– Tracey Schmitt, RNC Press Secretary
Sen. Ted Kennedy Baselessly Attacks Judge Alito:
“Sen. Edward Kennedy On Monday Questioned What He Said Were Samuel Alito’s Multiple Explanations For Not Immediately Disqualifying Himself From A Case Involving The Vanguard Companies, Which Handle His Mutual Fund Investments.” (Jesse Holland, “Kennedy Questions Alito Answers About Vanguard Cases,” The Associated Press, 12/5/05)
But Kennedy Defended Judge Stephen Breyer Over Recusal Issue:
“The White House Scrambled … To Defuse Perhaps The Most Thorny Potential Problem Area For Breyer – Possible Conflicts Of Interest Over His Investment In Lloyd’s Of London. Recent Media Reports Have Raised Questions About Whether Breyer Should Have Recused Himself From Eight Superfund Toxic Waste Cases That Indirectly Affected The Global Insurance Syndicate.” (Andrew Miga, “Breyer To Face Questions On Superfund Cases,” The Boston Herald, 7/12/94)
“Breyer Reportedly Recused Himself From Cases Involving Asbestos Damage, But Made Rulings On Superfund Cases.” (Andrew Miga, “Breyer To Face Questions On Superfund Cases,” The Boston Herald, 7/12/94)
“Sen. Edward M. Kennedy And Sen. Howard M. Metzenbaum, Democrat Of Ohio, Squabbled Over Whether Breyer Had Exercised Poor Judgment In Ruling On Environmental Cases While He Held Investments In A Firm That Insures Polluters.” (Ana Puga, “Biden Accuses Breyer Of Elitism,” The Boston Globe, 7/15/94)
“Metzenbaum Appeared To Irritate Kennedy, Biden And Sen. Orrin G. Hatch Of Utah, The Committee’s Senior Republican, By Raising Questions About Breyer’s Investments In Lloyd’s Of London, A Subject The Committee Leaders Had Hoped To Dismiss On Tuesday When Breyer Vowed To Divest Himself Of The Investment.” (Ana Puga, “Biden Accuses Breyer Of Elitism,” The Boston Globe , 7/15/94)
Kennedy: “You’ve Asked For My Opinion Whether Judge Breyer’s Committed A Violation Of Judicial Ethics In Investing In Lloyds Name And Insurance Underwriting While Being A Federal Judge. In My Opinion, There Was No Violation Of Judicial Ethics.” (Sen. Edward Kennedy, Committee On The Judiciary, U.S. Senate, Hearing, 7/14/94)
Kennedy Voted Against Chief Justice John Roberts:
Senator Kennedy Voted Against Judge John Roberts’ Nomination To Be Chief Justice Of The Supreme Court. (CQ Vote #245: Confirmed 78-22: R 55-0; D 22-22; I 1-0, 9/29/05, Kennedy Voted Nay)
Kennedy Repeatedly Used Partisan Attacks Against Chief Justice Roberts’ Record:
“(S)enator Edward M. Kennedy Of Massachusetts, Said Judge Roberts Was ‘On Or Beyond The Outer Fringe Of That Extreme Group.'” (David D. Kirkpatrick, “Senate Democrats Increase Resistance To Roberts,” The New York Times, 8/17/05)
Kennedy: “(Roberts) Repeatedly Advanced Narrow Interpretations That Would Have Undermined Landmark And Hard-Won Laws Congress Passed To Prohibit Discrimination.” (Sen. Ted Kennedy, Op-Ed, “Why Roberts’s Views Matter,” The Washington Post, 8/19/05)
Kennedy: “John Roberts Was A Political Appointee Who Had A Hand In Shaping Policy At A Time (When) The Reagan Administration Was Engaged In An Aggressive Assault On Civil Rights.” (Stephen Henderson and Shannon McCaffrey, “Memos Reveal Roberts’ Strong Advocacy For Judicial Restraint,” Knight Ridder Washington Bureau, 7/28/05)
Kennedy: “As A Young But High-Ranking Political Appointee In The Reagan Administration, Roberts Was Involved In, Among Other Things, Setting Policy On Issues Of Civil Rights – Including Those As Fundamental As The Right To Vote And To Be Free From Discrimination Based On Race, Gender, National Origin And Disability. If Roberts Continues To Hold The Views He Appears To Have Expressed In The Early 1980s, Then His Views On Civil Rights Are Out Of The Mainstream, And The People Have The Right To Know That.” (Sen. Ted Kennedy, Op-Ed, “Why Roberts’s Views Matter,” The Washington Post, 8/19/05)
No double standards here huh?
See author page
