Concerned Women for America - Miguel Estrada for the Supreme Court

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Saturday, March 20, 2010

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Miguel Estrada for the Supreme Court 5/20/2009

Washington, D.C. - Media reports have consistently pointed out that the President is looking at several Hispanic candidates for the Supreme Court. Pundits say Democrats would cherish the idea of confirming the first Hispanic to the Court.

However, the Democrats' shameful treatment of Miguel Estrada, the first Hispanic nominee to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, cannot be overlooked. As you may recall, unable to block Estrada's nomination and knowing he would be confirmed if a full Senate vote was allowed, Democrats used an unprecedented and unjust partisan filibuster to prevent a vote from ever taking place.

Ignoring his impressive professional record and his inspiring personal story, Senate Democrats viciously attacked Mr. Estrada, just because he was nominated by President Bush and was therefore considered a "conservative."

Senate Democrats' conduct was so reprehensible that it forced some of their own to speak out. One fair-minded Democratic Senator said at the time that Estrada was "the latest victim of Washington's partisan, obstructionist politics."

Mario Diaz, Esq., CWA's Policy Director for Legal Issues, says, "It is sad that partisan politics and political expediency seem to be the driving force behind the Democrats' support of a Hispanic nominee. The hypocrisy is evident. As a Hispanic, it was very discouraging to witness their treatment of Miguel Estrada. It was very insulting to read they 'feared' him because he was Hispanic."

"Let's not forget the famous democratic memos which showed that outside groups were putting pressure on Senate Democrats to stall Miguel Estrada's nomination. The memos 'identified Miguel Estrada (D.C. Circuit) as especially dangerous, because he has a minimal paper trail, he is Latino, and the White House seems to be grooming him for a Supreme Court appointment' (emphasis ours).

"If President Obama wants to honor Hispanics and their contributions to the American culture with the nomination of a well-qualified Hispanic to the Supreme Court, he should look no further than Miguel Estrada," says Diaz. "That will leave little doubt that he is committed to what he has talked so much about: rising above partisan politics."

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