05/25/05 Judicial confrontation, ag, and the NW

05/25/05 Judicial confrontation, ag, and the NW

There is no doubt that even though for now the battle over judicial nominations and filibusters in the U.S. Senate has been settled through a compromise reached at the last minute, it definitely drew out connections to our region in ways expected and otherwise. One example is the delay in consideration of ag, energy, and rural development bills in Senate committees & bills important to the Northwest. Another was the debate among Northwest lawmakers on whether or not to end the practice of judicial filibusters and decide nominations on an up or down vote. Weighing in on how divisive this debate had become is Republican Senator Gordon Smith of Oregon. SMITH: When we raise filibusters to this new level, which I believe says to every bright young law student, when you have a point of view that is clear, if you have membership in the A.C.L.U. or the Federalists Society, if you're a member of a religious faith or you're part of a labor union, this will be held against you. The compromise reached allows for some of President Bush's judicial nominees to be brought to a vote, while still allowing judicial filibusters to stay in place. But the compromise also means one Northwest lawyer is one of two judicial candidates who may never have their nomination come up for a vote. William Myers III is an Idaho attorney with a list of credentials and government experience that should lead to a confirmation as a U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals judge. Not to environmentalists who are backed by many Senate Democrats. CRAPO: The argument being that since he has worked as a Solicitor General for one of the federal agencies and the fact that he has worked as a private attorney representing clients on issues relating to environmental policy that he would have a bias in favor of multiple use rather than what is conceived to be the proper perspective with regard to environmental management. I don't think that is true at all. And Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, a supporter of Myers, says what environmentalists really fear is Myers' potential influence on the Ninth Circuit, arguably the most liberal and most eco-friendly court in the U.S., and one court that has shaped Western land and water policy in ways that have negatively affected farmers and ranchers. But to get Myers' nomination to a vote, might it be a grass roots effort that does it? And one based in ag and rural concerns desiring balance on the Ninth Circuit Appellate Court? One of the more prominent ag commodity lobbying groups&the National Cattlemen's Beef Association&is leading a grass roots campaign by urging its membership to contact Senators to lobby for a vote on Myers' nomination.
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