Coalition Hails Recess Appointment of Bill Pryor to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals

February 20, 2004

President Recess Appoints While The Senate Obstructs

(WASHINGTON, DC) - The Coalition for a Fair Judiciary today hailed the recess appointment of Alabama Attorney General Bill Pryor to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.

"A minority of Senators are obstructing several of President Bush s judicial nominees at the behest of extreme left-wing special interests. Enough is enough," said Kay Daly, president of the Coalition for a Fair Judiciary. "This recess appointment should serve notice that the President is clearly committed to his nominees."

Earlier this year, President Bush also recess appointed Charles Pickering, another judicial nominee held hostage by a minority of filibustering Senators, to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. According to a recent report, there have been over 300 recess appointments to the federal judiciary, including 30 such appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court.

A recent Zogby poll showed that a majority of voters reject the filibuster strategy employed by Senate Democrats against some of President Bush s judicial nominees. Fifty-three percent of Blue State and 59% of Red State voters felt the Democratic filibuster of judicial nominees was wrong while 35% of Blue State and 32% of Red State voters feel a minority of Senators are right to use whatever means to necessary to block the nominees.

"Bill Pryor is a strict constructionist who has demonstrated that he will uphold the law, not legislate from the bench," said Daly. "Frankly, the federal bench could use more strict constructionists and far fewer judicial activists. Many Americans may not know the difference between a federal court and a tennis court, but with the activist decisions handed down in a range of issues recently, the tide could be turning. Kudos to the President for this appointment and Godspeed to Mr. Pryor."

The Coalition for a Fair Judiciary is a 501(C)4 organization comprised of more than 75 grassroots organizations dedicated to supporting qualified, capable federal judicial nominees who are committed to fair and accurate interpretation of existing law. Judicial activism, characterized by rulings that create law rather than apply the law, has had a detrimental impact on American society and commerce. We seek to support federal judicial nominees who, in the words of Socrates, will "hear courteously, answer wisely, consider soberly and decide impartially."

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