Robert Novak reports that Idaho attorney William Meyers has quit the Senate process on his nomination to the U.S. 9th Circuit. He was actually nominated several times – in May of 2003, February of 2005 and September of 2006. The White House was willing to do it again – but Meyers has simply had enough of the charade.

Meyers has been the victim of an intense campaign by the Left, especially the Enviro Wing, since his name first surfaced. Despite receiving high grades from the American Bar Association and despite a favorable vote (on party lines) by the Senate Judiciary Committee in March of 2005 – Meyers was unable to overcome the Democrat stranglehold on the confirmation process. And that was before they assumed formal control this month.

That leaves Idaho without a single member on the huge 9th Circuit bench; perhaps the only state in the union without a judge on their respective appeals court bench.

We still have Judge Randy Smith in the running. The President first nominated Smith in December of 2005. And he managed to get a recommendation from the Senate Judiciary Committee in September of last year. But there a floor vote has been a different matter.
Smith has been the victim of an attack by California’s Democratic senators – who claim that California should have this seat. Perhaps they will change their minds now that Meyers has given up.

The President renominated Smith this month. But now that Democrats actually have title to the Senate, it seems tough going for Judge Smith.

These things are of tremendous import to average Idahoans. Despite being blessed with one of the more conservative legislatures in the nation – we are often victimized by the leftist politics of the federal judiciary, especially those ideologues running the 9th Circuit.

That has certainly been the case in our decade-long efforts to secure a strong Parental Consent Law for Idaho families. The Legislature has enacted Parental Consent four different times over those years – and for 3 of those, we had an effective law.

The fate of thousands hangs on an appeal now sitting in front of 3 judges on the 9th Circuit – all of whom were appointed by President Clinton; two of whom served as attorneys for the ACLU.