Confirm Judge Southwick

It's been over a month since I posted. Between my sons' year-end allstar baseball runs (both were on teams that finished as runners-up in the state in their respective age divisions) and vacation, I haven't had time. But things have settled down and I hope to post more frequently.

One thing that is critically important to me is the appointment of judges to the federal courts, particularly the Supreme Court. There isn't currently a vacancy on the Supreme Court so the political battle is presently being fought over President Bush's nominations to fill vacancies on the Court of Appeals. The biggest battle right now is over the nomination of Judge Leslie Southwick to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. The Fifth Circuit court sits in New Orleans and hears cases from Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas.

By all accounts Judge Southwick is a respectable jurist, quality individual and a veteran. Senate democrats have searched and searched for dirt on Judge Southwick but were unable to find anything. When Judge Southwick was appointed to the federal district court (the level just below the court of appeals) not one senator voted against him. Still the judiciary committee delayed his court of appeals confirmation process.

On August 2 the committee finally voted 10-9 to send Judge Southwick's nomination to the full senate. Fred Thompson had this to say earlier about Judge Southwick's confirmation and then posted about the committee's vote.

Because of liberal interest groups' unfounded attacks on Judge Southwick I look for this battle to continue on the senate floor. Senate democrats just can't help themselves. They will attack any conservative jurist nominated by President Bush. I hope senate republicans stand-up for Judge Southwick and fight for his confirmation. We cannot continue to allow the democrats to defeat quality judges.

It is time to confirm Judge Southwick.

Jerome