Black Democrats denounce judicial nominee Brown as another 'Clarence Thomas'

"This Bush nominee has such an atrocious civil rights record she makes Clarence Thomas look like Thurgood Marshall," said Rep. Diane Watson, D-Calif.

But Republican senators immediately defended Brown. "If critics don't like Justice Brown's decisions, they should change the law, rather than attack her for partisan political gain," said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

President Bush has nominated Brown, a California state justice, for a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. She is expected to appear next Wednesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee for a confirmation hearing.

The 12-member appeals court decides important government cases involving separation of powers, the role of the federal government, the responsibilities of federal officials and the authority of federal agencies. It now has five Republican and four Democratic appointees.

The black Democrats said Brown's conservative credentials make her unfit for the D.C. judgeship. Brown, who is black, is considered among the California high court's most conservative justices.

She supports limits on abortion rights and corporate liability, routinely votes to uphold death penalty sentences and opposes affirmative action.

Bush "hasn't fooled us," said Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C. "She's cut from the same cloth as Clarence Thomas."

Thomas, who became the Supreme Court's second black justice after Thurgood Marshall retired, is one of that court's most conservative members and a longtime critic of civil rights legislation and affirmative action programs.

If confirmed, Brown would become the second black woman on the D.C. court.

"That does not mean that any of us would and will give a pass to an unqualified nominee simply because she is a minority candidate," said Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif.

Senate Democrats have not said whether they will filibuster Brown. They are filibustering three judicial nominees and have forced one, Hispanic lawyer Miguel Estrada, to withdraw his nomination.



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Justice Department information about Brown: http://www.usdoj.gov/olp/brown.htm
©2003 Associated Press