Op-Ed: Judge Shedd Deserves a Vote

The following is an Op-Ed written by Congressman Joe Wilson, R-SC, in response to the Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy's (D-VT) decision to deny Judge Dennis Shedd a confirmation vote.Senator Strom Thurmond had one request before he retired from the Senate after serving in the distinguished chamber for 48 years and before achieving the age of 100 on December 5th, 2002. His last request was that his former aide, U.S. District Court Judge Dennis Shedd, receive a vote before the Senate Judiciary Committee. So Senator Thurmond made a gentlemen's agreement with Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy of Vermont to do just that. On Tuesday, Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy broke his agreement with Senator Thurmond. Senator Leahy has again demonstrated his destructive partisan agenda to thwart another eminently qualified judge. By pandering to special interests over the interests of solving the judicial crisis facing the Fourth Circuit, Chairman Leahy has put politics above the best interests of justice.President Bush nominated Judge Shedd, a native of Cordova, South Carolina, to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals on May 9, 2001. Judge Shedd has served on the federal judiciary since 1990 as a U.S. District Court judge in South Carolina following nearly 20 years of public service and legal practice. During his time on the bench, Judge Shedd has handled over 4000 civil cases and over 900 criminal cases. There is not a judge currently sitting on the Fourth Circuit who has as much federal trial experience. This wealth of experience would be a great asset to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Even the American Bar Association agrees. Judge Shedd received a "well qualified" rating from the ABA, the Democrats own "gold standard" for evaluating nominees.I know first-hand of Judge Shedd's competence, because he was formerly a law clerk years ago in my West Columbia law firm. I am also shocked at the lack of thoughtfulness in the U.S. Senate. Having served seventeen years in the South Carolina State Senate, I remember the respect we showed for one another even across party lines, out of simple respect for senior and retiring members.Senate Democrats on the Judiciary Committee continue to show a serious lack of respect for men and women with sound qualifications and years of legal experience. Judge Shedd joins Judge Charles Pickering and Justice Priscilla Owen as yet another victim of the Senate Democrats and their permanent partisanship. They have a constitutional duty to give nominees a fair and honest hearing followed by a vote. The constitutional review of the President's nominees should not fall prey to partisan manipulation undertaken for political advantage. For over 17 months, Judge Shedd has been a nominee to the Fourth Circuit - designated a judicial emergency by the Judicial Conference of the United States. Now that Senator Leahy has broken his promise to Senator Thurmond to hold a vote on Judge Shedd's nomination, the judicial emergency will continue.Judicial vacancies are delaying justice for many Americans and increasing the burden on current judges. President Bush's nominees, including Judge Shedd, have dedicated their lives to defending the Constitution and upholding the rule of law. Without action, America's justice system will continue being delayed in absolving the innocent and punishing the guilty. Obstruction of justice in our legal system is a serious offense. In the Senate - thanks to Senator Daschle and Senator Leahy - we have witnessed obstruction of justice in the form of partisan politics. Senator Thurmond made one last request on behalf of a highly qualified and competent judicial nominee. Unfortunately for Judge Dennis Shedd, crude partisanship won out over progress at the hands of Senate Democrats.###