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| NOMINATION ON HOLD
November 13, 1997NEWSHOUR TRANSCRIPT |
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In an attempt to keep alive Bill Lann Lee's chances to head the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, Senate Democrats blocked a vote on his nomination by the Judiciary Committee. The committee's chair, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), discuss today's actions, after a background report from Phil Ponce.
A RealAudio version of this segment is available.
NEWSHOUR LINKS:
November 5, 1997:
The nomination of Mr. Bill Lann Lee keeps the spotlight on Proposition 209.
November 3, 1997:
The Supreme Court declines to hear a challenge to California's Proposition 209, the 1996 initiative which overturned affirmative action in the state.
September 30, 1997:
Presidential race advisers discuss Clinton's One America initiative.
July 4, 1997:
Online Forum The Rev. Suzan Johnson Cook joins Angela Oh in responding to the first online forum on race relations.
June 16, 1997:
Experts analyze the merits of the President's weekend speech on race relations.
May 20, 1997:
Betty Ann Bowser reports on the effects of dropping affirmative action programs in Texas universities.
May 20, 1997:
The authors of All That We Can Be: Black Leadership and Racial Integration the Army Way discuss social success in the military.
April 9, 1997:
A federal court in California upholds a state ban on affirmative action programs.
Feb. 21, 1997:
The Online NewsHour hosts a forum on the declining economic power of Hispanic Americans.
Jan. 15, 1996:
Charlayne Hunter-Gault talks to Benjamin DeMott about his book The Trouble with Friendship: Why Americans Can't Think Straight about Race.
Browse the NewsHour's coverage of Race Relations.
PHIL PONCE: Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee today blocked a confirmation vote on Bill Lann Lee , thereby keeping his nomination alive, if in limbo. Lee, an NAACP lawyer, is President Clinton's choice to head the Justice Department's civil rights division. Had the committee voted, it appeared certain the majority of the Republicans on the committee would have voted against Lee's nomination and kept it from a confirmation vote before the full Senate.
SEN. ORRIN HATCH, Chairman, Judiciary Committee: Nobody knows what would happen on the floor of the Senate. I happen to believe that this nomination would go down to defeat on the floor of the Senate over these issues that have been raised here.
PHIL PONCE: The issues concerning Lee's support for affirmative action programs and in particular Lee's opinion that a California law outlawing state affirmative action is unconstitutional. During his confirmation hearing last month, however, Lee indicated that was just his opinion.
BILL LANN LEE, Assistant Attorney General Nominee: This is an issue in which people have disagreed. If I am confirmed as assistant attorney general, the Department of Justice, civil rights division, will enforce the law, as the courts have decided.
PHIL PONCE: The debate over Lee's position on affirmative action prompted several heated exchanges today between the committee chairman, Orrin Hatch of Utah, and the ranking Democrat, Patrick Leahy of Vermont.
SEN. ORRIN HATCH: We're tired--listen, I'm the chairman of the committee. Let me make my comment and I'll give you time to make yours. America knows that we're tired of preferential rights and treatment that aren't justified under the current case law. We're tired of preferring one group over another, preferring groups over individuals. I've had people from all walks of life come to me and complain about preferences. He's a fine man. I hate to see this happen. I hate to see us divided like this. The fact of the matter is this is the big issue in America. It's time to face it, and we've got to face it. And this is the way to face it, in my opinion. And you don't do it by just letting somebody slide through who is going to act contrary to what the laws really are, as his predecessor did. And I can make that case too. Sen. Leahy.
SEN. PATRICK LEAHY, (D) Vermont: Well, Mr. Chairman, you say America knows where you stand. America knows that the Republican leadership of this committee, the Republican leadership of the Senate is unwilling to allow 100 United States senators of both parties to stand up in the light of day and say how they would vote on this nomination; the Republican leadership of the Senate is unwilling to allow the United States Senate to exercise its conscience, and the reason the Republican leadership is unwilling to do that is that they know even with a majority of their own party in the Senate, the Senate, if allowed to vote, would vote to confirm Mr. Lee.
PHIL PONCE: At least one Republican on the committee, Pennsylvania's Arlen Specter, said he would vote in favor of Lee's confirmation and said he expected there were others as well.
SEN. ARLEN SPECTER, (R) Pennsylvania: I think if this matter went to the full Senate, there would be quite a few Republicans who would vote for Mr. Lee and that it would not be a particularly close vote.
PHIL PONCE: Lee apparently has the support of all the Senate Democrats. Kennedy of Massachusetts was angry that anyone would question the need for continued affirmative action.
SEN. EDWARD KENNEDY, (D) Massachusetts: How many Americans really believe that the playing ground is fair for women and minorities in this country today? How many do? Women and minorities can't even get on the playing field in America today.
PHIL PONCE: But Republican Charles Grassley of Iowa saw it differently.
SEN. CHARLES GRASSLEY, (R) Iowa: So now is the time to get beyond the idea that the American dream should be divided according to race or gender or any other provision in America that you want to divide America. We got to start pulling together.
PHIL PONCE: Without the consent of at least one Democrat, the committee was blocked from voting on the Lee nomination. Chairman Hatch then said he would ask Majority Leader Trent Lott to send the nomination back to the White House and in defending his own position added:
SEN. ORRIN HATCH: Anybody who doubts that I'm doing this on principle, I'd like to see you afterwards.
PHIL PONCE: The Rev. Jesse Jackson, who was watching the proceedings from the committee room, took up Sen. Hatch on his invitation. Jackson told Hatch his decision not to send the Lee nomination to the full Senate was a radical step backwards and said he had not shown good leadership. Hatch told Jackson he felt badly about what was happening but believed he was doing the right thing. Hatch also told Jackson he considered him to be a friend but said Jackson's earlier comments that this was a racist decision were wrong.
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