VOICE OF THE MAJORITY

A Democratic U.S. senator from New Jersey suggested Friday that House Majority Leader Tom DeLay broke the law when he assailed federal judges involved in the Terri Schiavo case.

"Threats against specific federal judges are not only a serious crime, but also beneath a member of Congress," Sen. Frank Lautenberg wrote in a letter to DeLay that he shared with the media. "Your attempt to intimidate judges in America not only threatens our courts, but our fundamental democracy as well."DeLay's office did not return telephone calls seeking comment Friday.The Republican from Sugar Land lashed out at federal judges Thursday for their refusal to intercede on behalf of Terri Schiavo's parents, who tried to stop the removal of the brain-damaged Florida woman's feeding tube on the orders of her husband.
After Schiavo died Thursday, DeLay said, "The time will come for the men responsible for this to answer for their behavior" and said Congress would "look at an unaccountable, arrogant, out-of-control judiciary that thumbed their nose at Congress and the president." DeLay spokesman Dan Allen told the Associated Press that the majority leader was talking about future action in Congress and that the legislative committee that issued a subpoena designed to assure nourishment for Schiavo could investigate why its order was rejected by the courts.
DeLay's office said Friday, without offering details, that he planned to ask the Judiciary Committee to undertake a broad review of the courts' handling of the case, according to the Washington Post. President Bush and Congress, led by DeLay, got involved in the family's lengthy legal battle, passing legislation to allow Schiavo's parents to pursue the matter in federal court, where they also lost to Michael Schiavo.
Recent killings cited
Lautenberg and Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., said DeLay's comments were particularly reckless in the aftermath of the recent killing of a Georgia judge and the killing of a federal judge's husband and mother in Chicago.
"Our nation's judges must be concerned for their safety and security when they are asked to make difficult decisions every day. That's why comments like those you made are not only irresponsible, but downright dangerous," Lautenberg wrote in his letter. "You owe them - and all Americans - an apology for your reckless statements."
Republican U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona said Friday that he did not agree with DeLay's characterization of federal judges. But, McCain added in an appearance on CBS' The Early Show, "I do believe this issue of judges is a hot issue. I don't think the Democrats should be blocking the president's appointments."
Some keeping distance
The White House also distanced itself from DeLay's comments Thursday. Bay Buchanan of the conservative group American Cause agreed with DeLay in a CNN appearance Thursday."The judges in this country have become activists, and we're all saying, well, they have the final word," she said. "The judges don't have the final word. And what really is unfortunate is we do have executives that are supposed to act when the judges are off and when they're wrong."In 1997, DeLay publicly contemplated an impeachment drive against some judges on grounds that their decisions often ignored existing laws. Federal judges are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate for lifetime appointments.
They can be impeached by Congress.

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Sunday, April 03, 2005