Hatch protests fast hearings

Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, joined Wednesday a Republican boycott of a confirmation hearing for an appeals court judge nominee, charging that Democrats are trying to rush through President Barack Obama's judicial nominees without giving adequate time to research their background.

"There is no reason for scheduling a drive-by hearing only days after nomination except to turn the Senate into a rubber stamp for President Obama's nominees," Hatch said.

He and other Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee skipped its hearing Wednesday on the nomination of David Hamilton to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, and sent a letter to Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., blasting him for holding the hearing just 15 days after Hamilton's nomination.

"None of President Bush's circuit court nominees received a hearing so quickly," their letter said, noting they had asked that it be delayed until after the Senate's Easter recess to give them time to prepare. They said the committee waited 166 days on average before hearings on Bush's circuit court nominees.

They noted that Hamilton has been a district judge in Indiana for 15 years, has written more than 1,100 opinions, spoken and written extensively, and has generated "roughly 2,000 pages of material for the committee to review."

Hatch said, "Senators take their advice and consent role seriously and need enough time to discharge this responsibility."

Leahy charged in the hearing that Republicans are simply trying to stall or obstruct Obama's nominees. He noted that he previously delayed, at GOP request, hearings on nominees to become the attorney general, solicitor general and the head of the Office of Legal Counsel.

"Despite those accommodations, Senate Republicans have chosen to delay committee, as well as Senate, consideration of nominees," he said.

"I understand that senators could always use more time to prepare and that this is a busy week. However, with a two-week Easter recess approaching, I did not want to delay this proceeding another two weeks," Leahy said.

He added, "I urge Republican senators to work together with the president to fill vacancies on the federal bench. Our demonstrated ability to work together to fill judicial vacancies will go a long way toward elevating public trust in our justice system."

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