Erroneous Errol

In a silly, sycophantic article in today’s New York Daily News, Errol Louis effusively praises Chuck Schumer for his past obstruction of “right-wing judges” and tells us that Schumer has no plans to change his tactics in the next Congress, especially since he will now be the chairman of the powerful Subcommittee on Administrative Oversight and the Courts.

Now, usually I would laugh off such an obviously ridiculous article, however, there is one outrageous and irresponsible claim that I just can’t let go by without an answer: Mr. Louis claims that the Bush administration has nominated judges “according to a religious litmus test, in violation of America's long tradition of separating church and state.”

This contemptible assertion is completely false. President Bush has nominated men and women of every race, color and creed for the federal bench and to posts in his administration. Not even his worst enemies in the Senate would claim (as least I hope not) that the President has some sort of “religious litmus test” when it comes to nominating judges.

Mr. Louis, is Chief Justice John Roberts a “fundamentalist zealot”? Is Consuelo Callahan? Is Jerome Holmes?

Mr. Louis also does not seem to understand the difference between a judge and a politician, but we’ll leave that discussion for another time.