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Thursday, January 16, 2003

CBTU Labels Bush’s Re-Nomination of Pickering and Owen
“In Your Face” Arrogance and Insensitivity

Washington, DC –
President Bush, on January 7th, issued a grim reminder that his Happy New Year message would indeed be short-lived for minorities, women, working-class families, senior citizens, students, and the poor across America. Using his trademark bold, in your face politics of arrogance and insensitivity, Bush sought to breathe new life into two “politically dead” corpses by re-nominating Charles Pickering, Sr. and Priscilla Owen to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit.

These nominees had previously been rejected by the Senate Judiciary Committee based on a thorough review of their records and views on civil and human rights as well as other issues. Following a process of fair hearings, both nominees were “discarded” and deemed unfit to serve on the Circuit bench.

CBTU President William Lucy stated that “once again, President Bush has lived down to low expectations by demonstrating his disdain for the judicial process and utter contempt toward a large segment of the population who depend on a fair justice system. This “undeserved reward” to Trent Lott can only be viewed as a clear signal of his “exoneration” by Bush, sending a chilling message across the nation that racial insensitivity is a welcome piece of this administration’s agenda.

Lucy called on the Senate to “act with strong conviction” and once again send these nominees back to the “scrap heap.” Lucy reminded the senators that the records and views of these nominees had not changed; and therefore, neither should the votes of the committee members. They both received failing grades, thereby, they don’t merit a promotion.