Rep. James Sensenbrenner warned that fellow congressional Republicans are wary of President Bush's Supreme Court nominee's lack of experience in an appearance on campus yesterday.
He spent most of yesterday's appearance talking about the economy but made his views clear on Bush's recent nomination of White House Counsel Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court.
Sensenbrenner quoted former President Ronald Reagan and said lawmakers should trust the president but verify the qualifications of the nominee.
"With Harriet Miers, the president is asking us to trust, but not verify," Sensenbrenner said, adding that the majority of Republicans are wary of the 60-year-old's lack of political service and age.
Best known for his involvement in legislation regarding the Patriot Act, Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said that Democrats are guilty of an "incessant litany of carping criticism."
First elected to Congress in 1978, Sensenbrenner is in the Philadelphia area to support fellow Republican Mike Fitzpatrick's re-election campaign in Bucks County.
Sensenbrenner's focus for the talk was on economic conservatism and its appeal to college students. He talked about the importance of decreased national spending, especially in light of the recent hurricanes.
"If you want any money left in your pocketbooks after taxes, you better vote Republican," he said.
