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12/10/04

National Clergy Council Executive Member Rev. Gary Dull speaks with a member of Senator Rick Santorum's (R-PA) staff yesterday at his Altoona, PA field office. Rev. Dull lead a group of supporters to voice their reservations about Senator Arlen Specter's (R-PA) nomination to the Senate Judiciary Committee's Chairmanship.

The National Clergy Council is today mobilizing pastors, other Christian leaders and concerned citizens across the country to register their protest of the nomination of pro-choice, pro-homosexual Pennsylvania senator Arlen Specter to the very powerful chairmanship of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. The Judiciary Committee screens all nominees to the federal courts, including U.S. Supreme Court justices.

Mr. Specter made comments the day after the election that seemed to warn President Bush that any pro-life nominees would be doomed to defeat. He later back-peddled trying to explain that he had been misunderstood. Senator Specter’s track record has been so dismal on matters related to the Sanctity of Life, the Sanctity of Marriage and the Public Acknowledgement of God, that no one who has observed it can believe his recent conversion. Once seated, it is nearly impossible to remove a committee chairman, leaving him free to do whatever he wants, no matter what he has said during a news conference.

The National Clergy Council recently teamed up with the Christian Defense Coalition in holding a news conference in front of the U.S. Senate calling for Majority leader Bill Frist and the other members of the Judiciary Committee to reject Specter’s automatic elevation because of seniority. Shortly after, Specter publicly read a letter assuring his fellow committee members, a majority of the Senate and President Bush that he promptly schedule votes for pro-life or any other of the President’s nominees. What he didn’t say is how those same nominees will be treated behind-the-scenes and away from cameras or during the hearing process. Sometimes a senator can irreparably damage a candidate, then turn around and vote for him in the end, knowing that the dirty work is already done.

Please call or, better yet visit your U.S. Senator’s nearest office to voice your opposition to Senator Specter. Much more highly qualified candidates without this baggage can be found on the committee: Senators Jeff Sessions or Jon Kyle for starters.

You can find your Senators’ contact information at: www.senate.gov. You can also contact the Senate Judiciary Committee directly at: http://judiciary.senate.gov/