The Nation - News from May 7, 1989

Atty. Gen. Dick Thornburgh is threatening to end the role of the American Bar Assn. Standing Committee on Federal Judiciary in screening prospective federal judges unless the ABA keeps a commitment not to consider political or ideological beliefs. Thornburgh said “we expect them to honor” an agreement to revert to pre-1980 language in the ABA’s judicial screening guidelines. The 1977 version does not contain any exception to the statement that political and ideological views are not considered. Later versions of the guidelines contain an exception that such views are considered if they bear on the ability to be a fair, impartial and open-minded judge. The dispute broke out Tuesday when ABA leaders took issue with Thornburgh’s testimony to the House Judiciary Committee that the group had agreed to the change.