Hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committe on the Nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court
Hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committe on the Nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court
Hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committe on the Nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court October 12, 1991 morning session. Clarence Thomas appears before Commitee after the have questioned Anita Hill about her charges of sexual harassment
Hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committe on the Nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court
Senator Orrin Hatch (R - Utah). Judge Thomas, I just have to finish another short line of questions. I will have others later. Senator Joseph Biden (D - Delaware). Senator, you are welcome to do that. Can you give us an idea how long you are going to go? Senator Orrin Hatch (R - Utah). If you could give me another 10 minutes, I would appreciate it. Senator Joseph Biden (D - Delaware). Sure, just so we have an idea.
Hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committe on the Nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court
Senator Orrin Hatch (R - Utah). First of all, I would like to put Juan Williams' article into the record at this point. Senator Joseph Biden (D - Delaware). Without objection. Senator Orrin Hatch (R - Utah). "The phone calls came throughout September," Juan Williams said. "Did Clarence Thomas ever take money from the South African government? Was he under orders from the Reagan White House when he criticized civil rights leaders? Did he beat his first wife? Did I know anything about expense account charges he filed for out-of-town speeches? Did he say that women don't want equal pay for equal work? And finally, one exasperated voice said, 'Have you got anything on your tapes we can use to stop Thomas.'" "The calls came from staff members working for Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee." I didn't say that. I am just repeating it, but I know it's true. "They were calling me, because several articles written about Thomas have carried my byline. When I was working as a White House correspondent in the early '80's, I had gotten to know Thomas as a news source and later wrote a long profile of him." "The desperate search for ammunition to shoot down Thomas has turned the 102 days" - this is just as few days ago - "102 days since President Bush nominated him for a seat on the Supreme Court into a liberal's nightmare. Here is indiscriminate, mean-spirited mudslinging supported by the so-called champions of fairness: liberal politicians, unions, civil rights groups and women's organizations," all of whom Juan Williams has regard for, or at least did up until this article. I am just reading excerpts. "Now the Senate has extended its attacks on fairness, decency and its own good name by averting its eyes, while someone in a position to leak has corrupted the entire hearing process"--it couldn't have been said better in one paragraph, somebody on this committee--by releasing a sealed affidavit containing an allegation that had been investigated by the FBI, reviewed by Thomas' opponents and supporters on the Senate committee and put aside as inconclusive and insufficient to warrant further investigation to stop the committee's final vote." It is an interesting article. I commend it to everybody.