Republicans e-mail astroturf Senate judge confirmations?

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

---

Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2003 18:10:54 -0500
From: Gene Gaudette <gaudette () nyc rr com>
To: mec () failureisimpossible com, buzzflash () buzzflash com, declan () well com,
        submit () irregulartimes com, paul () paulboutin com, atrios () comcast net,
        hesiod_2k () yahoo com, khafara () aol com, jconason () aol com,
        bartcop () bartcop com
Subject: Latest astroturf letter targets NJ senators -- and probably others 
[Fwd:
 Judicial Filibusters]

American Politics Journal has revceived multiple copies of this letter
today. One example follows.

I get the feeling that there are versions that plug in the names of
Democrat senators depending on the state of origin.
        
Gene Gaudette
APJ

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Judicial Filibusters
Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2003 14:13:53 -0500
From: Eric Dettmer <dettmers396 () yahoo com>
To: American Politics Journal Headquarters <editors () apj us>

Eric  Dettmer
396 Wallingford Terr
Union, NJ 07083


November 12, 2003

American Politics Journal Headquarters
PO Box 0409
Navesink, NJ  07716


 American Politics Journal:

For more than two years now, Democratic senators have blocked the
nominations of several appointees to the federal bench — not by working
to
amass the votes needed to defeat them in a full Senate vote, but by
using
filibusters in order to prevent full Senate votes from even occurring.

The issue isn't whether Democrats support judges like Miguel Estrada,
Charles Pickering, Priscilla Owen, Carolyn Kuhl and Janice Rogers Brown.
Supporting only those candidates who align with their values is their
prerogative as elected officials. But how is it their prerogative to
deny
these or any other nominees their constitutional right to a "yes" or
"no"
vote on their appointments?

Republicans in the Senate plan to engage in 24 to 30 hours of continuous
debate on this subject, beginning this Wednesday evening. I urge you, as
the eyes and ears of your community, to take special note of the news
that
is made during this debate and to dedicate appropriate resources to
reporting the story as it affects those in your coverage area.

And it does affect those in your coverage area. Who winds up serving on
our federal courts, in fact, is of keen interest to every American. It
is
in the courts, after all, that decisions about such things as the
constitutionality of the Pledge of Allegiance, and the legality of
partial-birth abortion, are ultimately reached.

What is happening here runs contrary to the principles of representative
democracy upon which this nation was founded. The 100 men and women
serving in the Senate today were elected to cast votes on important
matters of the day — not to prevent votes on the important matters of
the
day from ever being cast.

I look forward to seeing your coverage of this vital issue. To assist
you
in that coverage, I recommend the Web site www.justiceforjudges.com




Sincerely,


Eric Dettmer
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