|
Oppose Stealth Nominee to Key Lifetime Judgeship!
Encourage Senators to block a lifetime nominee to the federal appeals court that decides whether to enforce or strike down environmental safeguards. Miguel Estrada is a stealth nominee with almost no public written record who refused to answer Senators' questions about his legal and Constitutional views. E-mail or call your Senators (Capitol 202-224-3121) today and ask them to oppose and speak against the nomination of Mr. Estrada.
| Sample Letter for Campaign |
Subject: Please Oppose Miguel Estrada
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
Please do everything you can to block a lifetime nominee to a US Courts of Appeals position that decides whether to strike down or enforce federal anti-pollution and other environmental safeguards: Miguel Estrada (nominee to the DC Circuit which rules on national safeguards).
The Senate's constitutional advise-and-consent responsibility requires careful and thorough scrutiny of all federal court nominees. Your ability to make an independent decision requires an adequate record and information to ensure that judges will not unfairly favor big business over ordinary people and the environment.
The Senate should not confirm Mr. Estrada because he has failed to demonstrate that he will be a mainstream, balanced judge. Mr. Estrada has almost no public written record, and repeatedly refused to answer Senators' questions about his views on legal and Constitutional issues.
Please oppose the lifetime nomination of Mr. Estrada and please make a statement in opposition on the floor of the Senate.
Sincerely,
|
Campaign Launched:
February 03, 2003
|
Senators are continuing to block a vote on the lifetime appeals court nomination of Miguel Estrada to the critically important D.C. Circuit Court. On Jan. 30, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted in favor by one vote (10-9). The full Senate has now voted four times not to hold a vote on Mr. Estrada's nomination without further debate.
The D.C. Circuit has exclusive authority to rule on whether to enforce or strike down a range of critical national environmental safeguards. The Supreme Court rarely reviews Circuit Court decisions.
Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont concluded that Mr. Estrada "appears to have been groomed to be an activist appellate judge by well-connected conservative legal activists." Mr. Estrada was never a judge and has almost no public written record. He repeatedly refused to answer Senators' questions about his views on legal and Constitutional issues, including any case that the Supreme Court has ever decided. The New York Times urged the Senate to vote against this nominee after concluding that his record was a "black hole".
National environmental organizations, civil rights groups, and others are urging the Senate to oppose the lifetime judicial nomination of Mr. Estrada because he has not shown that he will fairly decide critical clean air, clean water, and other cases.
The Senate has a constitutional advise-and-consent responsibility to carefully and thoroughly scrutinize all federal court nominees. Federal judges hold their posts for life and make crucial decisions that affect all Americans.
Earthjustice and other groups believe that lifetime federal judicial nominees must affirmatively demonstrate balanced decision-making, respect for the laws that protect our natural resources and public welfare, and commitment to protecting the rights of all Americans.
Senators should oppose Mr. Estrada because this nominee lacks the record needed to ensure that they would not unfairly favor big business over ordinary people and the environment.
Learn more about Estrada by visiting "Judging the Environment", where you can read press editorials and coalition letters opposing his nomination.
|
