Dear Senator Frist:

Congratulations on expanding your majority within the Senate. As a conservative voter, I appreciate the work you are doing to advance the conservative agenda in the United States Senate, and the support you have given to conservative candidates around the country.

I am contacting you today regarding the future Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. It is my understanding that Arlen Specter, R-PA, is, due to seniority, in line to take over the Committee next session when Senator Hatch is term-limited from that position. As a conservative, and as a trial lawyer, I cannot overemphasize my opposition to allowing Senator Specter to hold that position. It is my belief that Senator Specter represents a minority view within the Republican Party, and that his appointment will give too much political cover to Democratic obstructionists who have blocked President Bush's judicial appointments over the past four years. Giving the Democrats that type of political cover will make it more difficult to defeat leading Senate Democrats who might otherwise be vulnerable.

As I am sure you are aware, it appears very likely that President Bush will have an opportunity to appoint two or more people to the United States Supreme Court during the next four years. These lifetime appointments are opportunities for conservatives to retake ground lost through rampant judicial activism from the Left over the past thirty years. If the Republican Senators cannot come through with more conservative judges than Senator Specter has traditionally supported, it is my belief that the Republican Senate leadership will be held accountable by conservative activists across the country.

This is particularly true in this instance. Senator Specter made a reckless statement that can easily be interpreted to mean that he would impose a litmus test on Bush nominees, particularly in regards to the Roe v. Wade decision.

Perhaps Senator Specter did not mean that to sound as though he would impose any such litmus test. I suspect that he will strongly protest that he was only trying to give President Bush some friendly advice based upon what Senator Specter believes to be the political realities of the situation. Perhaps it was merely a gaffe, and Senator Specter will work to get Bush's people appointed.

That's not the way it appears, however, and in politics, as you are aware, appearances often carry more weight than reality. This is particularly true in Senator Specter's case, given his past actions regarding conservative judicial nominees to the Supreme Court.

In this instance, Senator Specter's statements have actually changed reality. He can no longer be viewed as an unbiased Senator interested merely in making sure that a particular candidate is qualified to serve upon the bench. His statement has placed him in the impossible position of having to defend any negative action against a conservative judicial nominee from charges that Specter killed the nomination over the abortion issue, whether or not the charge is accurate. Due to the perception and reality his statements have created, I do not believe he can effectively perform the duties of the position.

I recognize that Senator Specter has had a long career in the Senate, but tenure does not carry with it the right to assume power. I strongly urge you to assist in blocking Senator Specter from taking this crucial Committee chairmanship during the new term of Congress.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

- posted by MrSpkr @ 09:47