WASHINGTON – Both of Maryland’s senators said Wednesday they will vote against John Ashcroft, with one saying the U.S. attorney general nominee cannot be expected to abandon a lifetime of zealous advocacy for his conservative beliefs if confirmed.
Despite their opposition — and that of a parade of other Democratic senators who took the floor Wednesday to speak against Ashcroft — opponents conceded that they expect him to be ultimately confirmed as attorney general. A vote in the Senate is expected Thursday.
Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Baltimore, said Wednesday she is “deeply troubled” by Ashcroft’s record on women’s rights, civil rights and judicial appointments, one of the first speakers in a day of heated speeches on the Senate floor.
Aides to Sen. Paul Sarbanes, D-Baltimore, said he will vote against Ashcroft and would detail his reasons on the floor. But Sarbanes had not spoken as of Wednesday evening.
Although she called Ashcroft a man of integrity and competency, Mikulski said she believes he would use his position as attorney general to undermine existing laws that he does not agree with — such as a woman’s right to choose.
“As attorney general of Missouri, (Ashcroft) used his office to limit women’s access to health care,” she said. “He is a prominent and active foe of women’s reproductive rights.”
But Republicans defended Ashcroft just a strenuously, pointing to his record as governor and attorney general of Missouri and as a senator from that state. They said he often enforced laws his personally disagreed with as attorney general of Missouri and accused opponents of targeting Ashcroft for his deeply held religious beliefs.
Opponents of the nomination, such as the National Abortion Rights Action League, were still hoping Wednesday that enough senators would vote against Ashcroft to block his nomination. But they also said that any votes against him are welcome, even if he is ultimately confirmed.
“The votes (Thursday) could show a very strong divisiveness of Mr. Ashcroft’s nomination and send a message to President Bush about future appointments,” said NARAL communications director Julie Piscitelli. “We also appreciate the strong votes from the two Maryland senators.”
Mikulski questioned how a man who was so passionate about his beliefs against abortions — he personally argued before the Supreme Court to prevent clinics from providing abortion services – can be held to uphold laws that fundamentally go against his beliefs.
“How can he have such passionate beliefs one day and not another?” she asked.
Mikulski also criticized Ashcroft for his criteria for opposing judicial nominees. In six years, Ashcroft opposed twelve judicial nominees, eight of whom were women or minorities. She said in a prepared statement that Ashcroft “seems to ignore the need for diversity on our federal courts.”
Mikulski expressed regret that Ashcroft has had such a difficult time with his confirmation process, but underscored the “constitutional requirement” senators have to advise and consent on nominees.
“We cannot simply rubber-stamp a president’s nominations,” she said, in response to Republicans who argued that a president has a right to appoint whomever he wants to his Cabinet.