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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2001

In a speech to the American Bar Association, Attorney General John Ashcroft urged the group to pressure the Senate to speed up confirmation of President Bush's picks to the federal judiciary.

The Senate Judiciary Committee has held hearings for a number of judges and has confirmed a few. But Ashcroft said the committee has only held one for an appeals court nominee.

William J. Riley was confirmed last week for a position on the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. The court hears cases affecting tribes in Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa.

Ashcroft did not discuss Bush's decision to cut the ABA's preferential review of picks for the federal judiciary. The ABA has reviewed 17 of 44 nominees and has rated all qualified or well-qualified.

Get the Story:
Ashcroft Pushes Senate On Judicial Nominees (The Washington Post 8/8)
Attorney general confident ABA will rate Bush judicial nominees highly (AP 8/8)

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