Litigation

Some GOP Leaders Urge More Respectful Tone

By Jason Barrett

While some conservative organizations and figures clamor to be the next to attack President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, senior GOP leaders are calling for a less disrespectful tone.  The LA Times reports that Republican lawmakers like Texas Sen. John Cornyn, right, are trying to dull the attacks launched by figures like radio host Rush Limbaugh and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, both of whom have levied accusations of racism against Judge Sonia Sotomayor.

“I think it’s terrible,” Sen. Cornyn said in a radio interview.  “This is not the kind of tone that any of us want to set when it comes to performing our constitutional responsibilities of advise and consent.”

Although Cornyn hedged somewhat Sunday, saying on “This Week With George Stephanopoulos” that “We need to know, for example, whether she’s going to be a justice for all of us or just a justice for a few of us,”  Cornyn also took pains to add:

“I think the most important thing that can happen here is, everybody take a deep breath, calm down. Let’s take our time, let’s review those 17 years of federal judicial history, and let’s ask the nominee some questions in a dignified Senate process.”

Gingrich’s attack first appeared in a Twitter, in which he stated his belief that Judge Sotomayor would engage in “reverse racism.”  Limbaugh echoed the concerns on his radio show shortly thereafter.

“Whether or not Barack Obama gets his nominee is not going to determine the future of our party,” said Terry Holt, a former George W. Bush advisor. “He’s a popular president with the votes to confirm his nominee. That’s not our best fight or our worst problem to deal with.”

Full post as published by The Gavel on June 01, 2009 (boomark / email).