Tuning into a Senate Judiciary hearing from this morning to hear Josh Hawley pressing one of Biden's judicial nominees, a 12.5-year public defender, on why she wanted to protect the constitutional rights of one of her clients in 1981.
This is a thing that happens regularly in here: Republicans criticizing a public defender nominee over the alleged crimes of one of her clients + suggesting this nominee is weak on crime by defending this person.
Pitting awfulness of crime against people's constitutional rights.
Pitting awfulness of crime against people's constitutional rights.
Booker said as much when it was his turn to talk to this nominee, Arianna Freeman, up for a lifetime seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit.
"Isn't it your solemn obligation to try to defend your client? I guess I was missing something there?"
"Isn't it your solemn obligation to try to defend your client? I guess I was missing something there?"
Freeman said of course.
"It is my obligation to zealously advocate fo the interest of my clients. And yes, I must do so regardless of what the conviction is or what the sentence is."
"It is my obligation to zealously advocate fo the interest of my clients. And yes, I must do so regardless of what the conviction is or what the sentence is."
Booker: Do you believe that no matter how horrific the crime, that everyone deserves a zealous defense?
Freeman: "I do. Those are fundamental principles articulated in the Bill of Rights itself."
Freeman: "I do. Those are fundamental principles articulated in the Bill of Rights itself."
In other words, Republicans regularly act outraged in these hearings about judicial nominees who were very effective in their former job as a public defender.
This judicial nominee that Mike Lee and Josh Hawley have "grave concerns" about is, like Biden's Supreme Court pick Ketanji Brown Jackson, a Black woman with a solid legal/professional background that includes being a public defender.
Now it's Ted Cruz's turn to berate Freeman for advocating for the interests of her clients as a public defender.
"Murderers." "Rapists." "Child molesters."
"Murderers." "Rapists." "Child molesters."
Cruz keeps trying to get Freeman to say if she opposes the death penalty. Back and forth like this:
Freeman: As a judicial nominee, the code of conduct requires me to refrain from commenting on matters of public policy that may come before me.
Cruz: Outrageous, answer the Q.
Freeman: As a judicial nominee, the code of conduct requires me to refrain from commenting on matters of public policy that may come before me.
Cruz: Outrageous, answer the Q.
Now Cruz is just saying random crime-y buzz words and suggesting Dems/Biden's nominees are soft on crime, which is what the GOP's agenda in here is really about.
Democrats want to "abolish the police," he declares.
"Crime rates" "murder rates" "carjacking rates!"
Democrats want to "abolish the police," he declares.
"Crime rates" "murder rates" "carjacking rates!"
GOP has clearly settled on this "Dems are weak on crime" theme for the 2022 elections.
They're so desperate to cement this message in the minds of voters that they've attacked virtually every judicial nominee for it who has come before the Judiciary Committee this year.
They're so desperate to cement this message in the minds of voters that they've attacked virtually every judicial nominee for it who has come before the Judiciary Committee this year.
In one instance that was laughably off base, they attacked Biden's judicial nominee Nina Morrison -- a 20-year atty with the Innocence Project who has freed dozens of innocent people from prison + death row -- for driving up violent crime across America. huffpost.com/entry/republic…
Hawley, Cruz + Lee have been leading this effort in the Judiciary Committee.
Hawley dramatically told Morrison* he planned to oppose her, along with other nominees Biden puts fwd who are “soft on crime."
*Morrison has helped free 30+ INNOCENT people from prison and death row.
Hawley dramatically told Morrison* he planned to oppose her, along with other nominees Biden puts fwd who are “soft on crime."
*Morrison has helped free 30+ INNOCENT people from prison and death row.
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