As I noted way back in April, PA GOPers missed a genuine opportunity by foolishly renominating Arlen Specter and predicted that this mistake would come back to haunt us. However, I never thought that it would rear its ugly head the day after the election.
Sen. Specter made some inflammatory statements. Never one to mince words (except when running in a tight primary against a genuine conservative), Specter has all but flat-out stated that he will, as putative chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, have a Roe v. Wade litmus test for all of Bush’s judicial appointees. I’m extremely angry at this point in time and while Specter has attempted to make some conciliatory noises, I find them hard to believe. His Senate record and his past public statements (as well as the “Kerry and Specter for Working Families” signs that I suspect were a Specter campaign invention) lead me to believe that he simply cannot be trusted in such a powerful position.
Below is a copy of the email I sent to Bill Frist. I suggest that any conservatives (particularly if you’re from PA) email/fax/call your Republican Senators and Majority Leader Frist and let your views be heard, as well.
Dear Senator Frist:
As a resident of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, I am greatly concerned with statements that I have seen Mr. Specter making in the days following Tuesday’s historic electoral endorsement of President Bush and genuine conservatives around the corner. It is obvious to me that the GOP has been given a good deal of political capital (as the President put it today) and needs to spend it on conservative causes worthy of those who put them in office.
One of the greatest areas of concern for most conservatives has been, and will continue to be, the appointment and confirmation of strict constructionist and genuinely conservative judges to the federal benches. Sen. Specter’s comments of the past two days indicating that he will impose an abortion “litmus test” and his long history of “running right, voting left” tell me that he is not to be trusted with a post as important as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary committtee. Why would we want someone of our own party in a position to obstruct the President’s judicial appointments?
I implore you and the other Senate GOP leaders in the strongest terms possible to deny Sen. Specter the chairmanship of the Judiciary committee, both for the good of the party and the good of the country.
Thank you.
