REID SHOULD STEP DOWN

From the Washington Times:

Reid cites FBI file on judicial pick

By Charles Hurt

Minority Leader Harry Reid strayed from his prepared remarks on the Senate floor yesterday and promised to continue opposing one of President Bush's judicial nominees based on "a problem" he said is in the nominee's "confidential report from the FBI."

Those highly confidential reports are filed on all judicial nominees, and severe sanctions apply to anyone who discloses their contents. Less clear is whether a senator could face sanctions for characterizing the content of such files.

"Henry Saad would have been filibustered anyway," Mr. Reid said on the floor yesterday, about the Michigan Appeals Court judge who is nominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit.

"All you need to do is have a member go upstairs and look at his confidential report from the FBI, and I think we would all agree that there is a problem there," Mr. Reid continued.

Republican staff members and supporters of Mr. Bush's nominees were outraged.

...Republican aides pointed to Standing Rule of the Senate 29, Section 5: "Any Senator, officer, or employee of the Senate who shall disclose the secret or confidential business or proceedings of the Senate, including the business and proceedings of the committees, subcommittees, and offices of the Senate, shall be liable, if a Senator, to suffer expulsion from the body; and if an officer or employee, to dismissal from the service of the Senate, and to punishment for contempt."

..."Harry Reid is a disgrace to the Senate and to [his] Church of Latter-day Saints," said Manuel Miranda, who was forced to resign as a Republican Senate staffer after downloading files on judicial nominees from Democratic computer servers.

"Both bodies should censure him," said Mr. Miranda, who leads a private advocacy group for Mr. Bush's judicial nominees.

Michael Bouchard, sheriff of Oakland County in Michigan and a personal friend of Judge Saad, said he is "absolutely" certain that the FBI file doesn't contain anything damaging.

"I think Harry Reid is lying," he said. "He's hiding behind something he knows he'll never be asked to show. Harry Reid is a coward."

Confidants of Judge Saad said yesterday that the judge would release the file but that he has never seen it, let alone obtained copies of it. Judge Saad is not permitted to see the file, Senate staffers said.
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Sen. Harry "Bush is a loser" Reid is an absolute disgrace.

Although I believe Reid's idiocy and incompetence are gifts to the Republican party, this man is unfit to serve as U.S. Senate minority leader.

For weeks, we've heard Dems harp on John Bolton's personality, insisting he does not have the proper demeanor to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the UN.

What about Reid's character? I should rephrase that--What about Reid's lack of character?

While on his anti-Bolton rant yesterday, George Voinovich asked, "What message are we sending to the world community?"

Are Dems troubled in the least by the message Reid is sending to Americans, as well as the world community?

Reid is reckless with his words, BELITTLING the President during wartime. That's very different from expressing constructive criticism and legitimate policy disagreement. Reid's behavior is inexcusable. He disgraces the Democrats nearly every time he opens his mouth.

This guy is part of the Dem leadership! He's not just some wacko representative.

American voters take note.