Deseret News | Edwards 'rarely present'

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Edwards 'rarely present'

Demo has worst attendance record on judiciary panel

By Lee Davidson
Deseret Morning News

Published: Tuesday, July 20, 2004 6:57 a.m. MDT

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While Edwards attended the first five business meetings after he first was appointed to the committee, he attended only eight of the next 59 over three years.

In 2003-04, Edwards attended six of 87 hearings (7 percent), lowest on the committee. The average for all committee members was 28 percent, or four times higher.

That means for 2003-04, Edwards attended nine of 121 (7 percent) total committee meetings. The average for all committee members was 39 percent or five times higher.

For all three years Edwards has been on the committee, he attended 40 of 212 total committee meetings (19 percent), tying for worst with Biden. The committee average was 38 percent, or twice as high. (Hatch had the highest attendance average in that time, 76 percent.)

For those three years, Edwards attended 27 of 148 hearings (18 percent) and was second-lowest on the committee behind Biden. The committee average was 32 percent. He attended 13 of 64 (20 percent) business meetings — lowest on the committee. The committee average for such business meetings was 69 percent, more than three times higher.

Briggs defended Edwards' record, saying it is normal for presidential candidates to have low attendance records.

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"I'd like to see what Sen. Hatch's record was when he ran for president. But on the other hand, he wasn't in the race that long," he said.

Briggs said Edwards tried to attend the most important meetings and sometimes altered his schedule to be in Washington for them.

Records show that he was in town for higher-profile hearings, such as whenever Attorney General John Ashcroft or FBI Director Robert Mueller were testifying. Of course, such hearings are also where members are most likely to appear on television asking questions, which can help election campaigns.

Edwards' official campaign biography on the Kerry-Edwards Internet page also proclaims, "Sen. Edwards is working every day to protect our civil liberties and our rights: standing up to radical judicial appointees like Judge (Charles) Pickering," whose confirmation was eventually blocked by a Democratic filibuster.

Records show that Edwards did show up for the hearing on Pickering and grilled him and was also on hand for hearings on nominees eventually blocked such as Miguel Estrada and Priscilla Owen.

Edwards also chaired a couple of routine confirmation hearings when Democrats controlled the committee, including one for Allyson K. Duncan, a North Carolina nominee he helped promote.

Briggs also noted that Senate Republican Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said last week when fielding questions about absences by Kerry and Edwards, "They're doing a great public service by running for other public office, and I respect that."

Edwards serves on four committees, which is average in the Senate.

E-mail: lee@desnews.com