Judicial Blame Game

“The Judiciary Committee as Political Killer” (Sept. 17), Douglas Kmiec’s commentary about the Senate Judiciary Committee, bemoans the “single-issue pressure groups” that, he feels, are impeding the confirmation of right-wing judges. Kmiec’s memory certainly isn’t that of an elephant because it seems to be limited to events since the 2000 election. Prior to that, right-wing zealots, such as himself and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), played an eight-year stalling game with President Clinton’s judicial nominees in an effort to make the federal bench as conservative, pro-corporate, anti-environment and anti-abortion as possible. Conservatives named the game and now whine when forced to play by the rules they established.

Thomas Haskin

La Mesa