Vermont U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy says President Bush has no one but himself to blame for the impasse over the nomination of Miguel Estrada to a federal appeals court post. Bush is blasting Senate Democrats for what he calls the “disgraceful treatment” of Estrada.
The president’s comments came after Estrada decided to give up a two-year fight to win confirmation to a federal appeals court post in Washington, D.C. But Leahy says the problem was with the White House’s refusal to supply the Senate Judiciary Committee with background information on the nominee’s work at the Justice Department.