Democrat bad faith on judges could shut Senate

Washington Times:

Republican leaders yesterday threatened a "total shutdown" of Senate business if Democrats keep holding up President Bush's appointments to the federal bench.
"It could cause major meltdown," Senate Minority Whip Trent Lott, Mississippi Republican, said after Democrats postponed a committee vote on the nomination of Leslie H. Southwick to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit.
Mr. Lott said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, was "very mad" about judicial appointments and could bring the narrowly divided chamber to a standstill if Democrats don't speed up the confirmation process.
"It could be total shutdown here pretty soon."
Sen. John Cornyn, Texas Republican and member of the Judiciary Committee, said the delay on Mr. Southwick, a former Mississippi state appellate judge, was par for the course.
"It is clear that the Democrats intend to slow walk judicial nominations and throw up as many roadblocks as they possibly can," Mr. Cornyn said.
Sen. Patrick J. Leahy, Vermont Democrat and chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said Mr. Southwick deserved more scrutiny due to his potentially racist and homophobic rulings.
Mr. Leahy bristled at the Republican threat of shutdown.
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Leahy attempts to make the case that he is moving faster than Specter did, but fails to acknowledge that Specter was foiled by Democrats bad faith too with all of the filibusters they did. Leahy is a disgrace. He attempts to thwart democracy and the justice system at every turn. We should all start supporting the Vermont succession movement.