It appears as though the characterization of Democrat senators on the Judiciary Committee acting as little more than agents for various liberal interest groups was chillingly accurate.

April 17, 2002/To: SENATOR [Kennedy]

"Elaine Jones of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund tried to call you today. . . . Elaine would like the Committee to hold off on any 6th Circuit nominees until the University of Michigan case regarding the constitutionality of affirmative action in higher education is decided by the en banc 6th Circuit. . . . The thinking is that the current 6th Circuit will sustain the affirmative action program, but if a new judge with conservative views is confirmed before the case is decided, that new judge will be able, under 6th Circuit rules, to review the case and vote on it."

This is a little disturbing -- delaying hearings and votes on judicial nominees not to get information on their views or qualifications, but in an effort to rig court decisions.

And it gets worse.

"...Ultimately, if [Chairman Pat] Leahy insists on having an August hearing, it appears that the groups are willing to let [Timothy] Tymkovich [10th Circuit] go through (the core of the coalition made that decision last night, but they are checking with the gay rights groups)."

Mr. Tymkovich apparently got the gay OK.

So, there apparently is a cabal of liberal groups controlling Democrat senators -- at least that's the impression given by this memo. Now, this may not be accurate, but the staffer who wrote it should be shot, because it does give that impression.