Michigan CSE Rally Targets Senator Levin

Brighton, MI — The Livingston County Chapter of Michigan Citizens for a Sound Economy

(MI CSE) led a rally over the weekend against Senator Carl Levin’s obstruction of President Bush’s judicial nominations for the Sixth District Court of Appeals. The rally, led by Livingston County MI CSE Chapter Leader Steve Williams, was held outside of the Livingston County Democratic Party Dinner on Sunday, where Senator Levin was the featured guest.

Levin can block judicial nominees from his home state because of Senate tradition. Today six out of the sixteen seats in the court are empty and five of them are considered judicial emergencies. Blocked nominations have caused judicial crises around the country, resulting in more summary judgments and rushed decisions.

But Senator Levin knows this. He said himself on the Senate Floor (146 Cong. Record S 4366, 5/24/00): “…I am deeply concerned about the vacancies in the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. The length of time that nominees for these positions have remained pending is unfair, both to the nominees, and to the State of Michigan.” Senator Levin went on to say: “The Senate slowdown has a serious impact on the administration of justice.”

The only difference between then and now is that in 2000 Senator Levin was talking about the judicial nominees of a Democrat President.

Williams made the following comments:

“Senator Levin needs to heed his own words and stop singing a new tune just because his party is no longer in charge.

“Obstinate senators like Levin are creating a constitutional calamity along with judicial emergencies. Our nation was founded on the rule of law, not the rule of men. The Senate should not reject judges on the basis of political ideology. Instead, it should evaluate judges strictly on whether or not they respect the supremacy of the law over political whim.

“CSE is engaged in the fight around the country to stop a minority of Senators from impairing our judicial system.”