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5/05/2006
CWA: Specter Caves to Demand for Kavanaugh Rehearing WASHINGTON, May 4 /Christian Wire Service/ -- Concerned Women for America (CWA) expressed dissatisfaction with Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pennsylvania) for ceding to Democrats’ demand for a rehearing of Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. It had been expected that Kavanaugh would be reported out of the Senate Judiciary Committee (SJC), which Specter chairs, on a straight party-line vote with 10 Republicans voting aye and eight Democrats voting against. According to media reports, Specter said Democrats demanded a hearing to question Kavanaugh “on his role in the administration's secret wiretapping program, its torture policy and any relationship with convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff.” “Brett Kavanaugh deserves better than this,” said CWA’s Chief Counsel, Jan LaRue. “Specter just gave the left a stealth weapon to block nominations before they have to use the disfavored f-word. Now all they’ll have to mutter is their new code- word ‘rehearing’ and a threatened filibuster is in play. Americans are sick to death of obstructionism and poisoned politics led by special interest groups on the left side of the universe.” Specter said he agreed to a rehearing in part because of a letter this week from the seven Democrats of the so-called "Gang of 14," which mediated a filibuster standoff last year. In the letter, the seven pledged to not support a filibuster over Kavanaugh if the panel was allowed to question him again. Kavanaugh currently serves as Assistant to the President and Staff Secretary. He previously served as Senior Associate Counsel and Associate Counsel to the President. Kavanaugh was a partner at the law firm of Kirkland & Ellis, where his practice focused on appellate matters, and he has argued cases before the Supreme Court. He served as an Associate Counsel in the Office of Independent Counsel. Kavanaugh has clerked for three federal judges including Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy. “The ‘Gang of 14’ agreed just over a year ago that ‘Nominees should be filibustered only under extraordinary circumstances,’” LaRue concluded. “What’s extraordinary is that Specter thinks these dead-beat, bogus demands for a rehearing have any credibility whatsoever. He knows it won’t change their votes. It’s just another opportunity to bash the President. “In the mean time, Sen. Frist should move the nominations that are already on the Senate floor.” Concerned Women for America is the nation’s largest public policy women’s organization.
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