Clinton Scolds Senate GOP After They Reject Ronnie White For Federal Bench

Jet, Oct 25, 1999

President Clinton recently delivered a scathing denunciation of Senate Republicans, accusing them of delaying the nominations of minority and female judges, after it voted to reject a judicial nominee for the first time in 12 years.

The party-line vote against the appointment of Judge Ronnie White, the first Black judge on Missouri's state supreme court, was a "disgraceful act of partisan politics" that is "adding credence to the perception that they treat women and minority judicial nominees unfairly," said Clinton.

The Senate voted 54-45 to reject White's appointment, amid criticism that he is soft on the death penalty.

White House Press Secretary Joe Lockhart complained that some Republicans who voted against him were the same ones who approved his nomination in the judiciary committee, including Republican Sen. Kit Bond of White's home state of Missouri, who had championed his nomination in the past.

Clinton added, "By voting down the first African-American judge to serve on the Missouri Supreme Court, the Republicans have deprived both the judiciary and the people of Missouri of an excellent, fair and impartial federal judge."

The President said the delays and White's rejection "creates a real doubt about the Republican-controlled Senate's ability to fairly perform its constitutional duty to advise and consent."

White House officials cited as evidence of unequal treatment a report issued last month by a high level, bipartisan task force called Citizens for Independent Courts.

The study found that in the 105th Congress in 1997-1998, the Senate took an average of 60 days more to confirm minority nominees. It took an average of 246 days for minority nominees and 186 for White nominees.

Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott said White's record and opposition to his nomination from the law enforcement community were the reasons he was rejected and not race, according to USA Today.