High Court Drama

Re “A Real-Life High Court,” Commentary, Nov. 16: Jim Newton suggests that President Eisenhower chose a non-judge, Gov. Earl Warren, to be chief justice in recognition of the value of nonjudicial experience. Contemporary witnesses attribute the appointment more to gratitude for Warren’s support at the 1952 GOP National Convention.

Richard M. Mosk

Associate Justice

California Court of Appeal

and Warren Commission

staff member, Los Angeles

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Re “Breaking the Siege in the Judge War,” Commentary, Nov. 16: John Lott and Sonya Jones write that the confirmation rate for President Bush’s judicial nominees is historically low. In particular, they claim that only 69% of Bush’s nominees to federal appeals courts and 33% of his nominees to the District of Columbia Appeals Court have been confirmed. The facts, however, are quite different: Bush has made 210 nominations to federal judgeships and 200 have been confirmed, a 95% confirmation rate. It is hard to know how Lott and Jones came up with their figures.

William Zame

Los Angeles

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So, let me understand the argument: If Democrats simply roll over and play dead when President Bush sends his judicial nominations to the Senate, the so-called logjam will end.

My goodness! Why didn’t the Democrats think of that?

Richard Doolittle

Grand Terrace

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Re “Frist Talks Tough on Senate Rules,” Nov. 15: Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) whines that having to deal with a filibuster will get in the way of the majority’s ability to do what it wants. Yeah, that’s the point!

It never ceases to amaze me how a country founded on freedom for all produces politicians like Frist. How dare he call opposition to Bush’s judicial nominees “tyranny of the minority”? Heck, tyranny of the minority is what this country is based on. How does Frist think America came to free itself from Mother England? Dumb luck?

Well, too bad, Mr. Frist, we’ll filibuster if we want to because, as long as we live in a democracy, you’ll just have to put up with our bothersome opposition. Get used to it.

Josie Nericcio

Los Angeles