All The News That's Fit To Post
-A group of Seahawks players were attacked by an automated gate that struck the van they were riding in today, but luckily it was just a bunch of practice squad scrubs like Hasselbeck, Alexander, Hutchinson, Jones and Boulware instead of the team's stars. Everyone seems ok.
-The P-I has an article about the NSA's listening post in Yakima and if you click on this link to it or even read these words you're bound to fall under their watch list. Sorry.
-Alaska's sentators are putting the screws to the Coast Guard to move their icebreaker from Seattle to Alaska. Jim McDermott called it "payback" for opposition from Washington lawmakers over Arctic oil drilling and oil shipments." That's the payback? Moving the icebreaker? Ooooo, beware the wrath of Alaska.
-Republicans killed the Alito fillibuster 72-25 with the assistance of 17 Democrats, one of which was our own Maria Cantwell despite statements she apparently made today and despite the email we sent her urging her not to break ranks. Expand this post for her response to our email. Murray voted with her party.
Image courtesy of philna.
Dear Mr. Gonsiorowski,
Thank you for writing to express your views on the nomination of Samuel Alito to be Associate Justice on the United States Supreme Court. I appreciate your input on this critical issue.
As you may know, the President nominates individuals to serve on the United States Supreme Court and it is the constitutional responsibility of the Senate to advise and consent on the suitability of those individuals to serve in the position for which they have been nominated. While I am disappointed that President Bush did not choose one of America 's many well-qualified female jurists to replace Justice O'Connor, I look forward to the debate before us.
I take my Constitutional responsibility as a Senator to advise and consent on executive nominations extremely seriously. While I recognize the privilege of the President to select his nominees, I believe it is critical that we conduct a comprehensive evaluation of each nominee's qualifications, since Supreme Court judges are expected to impartially interpret our nation's laws during their lifetime terms. Please be assured that I am committed to making carefully considered and independent judgments on every nominee based on a thorough review of his or her records. Of course, it is vital that any lifetime appointee to the highest court in the nation possess the breadth of experience, character, and wisdom necessary to review the most significant, complex, and far-reaching legal questions of our time
Thank you again for taking the time to share your thoughts with me. Finally, you may be interested in signing up for my weekly update for Washington state residents. Every Monday, I provide a brief outline about my work in the Senate and issues of importance to Washington state. If you are interested in subscribing to this update, please visit my website at http://cantwell.senate.gov. Please don't hesitate to contact me if I may be of any assistance in the future.
Sincerely,
Maria Cantwell
United States SenatorFor future correspondence with my office, please visit my website at
http://cantwell.senate.gov/contact/index.html
