Reid Hits DeLay Over Ethics/Nuclear Option

The Associated Press via CBS News is quoting Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid as saying that the fight over President Bush's judicial nominees is really a battle between Democrats who believe in checks and balances and Republicans who want everything their way. The GOP has threatened to change the Senate rules to ban filibusters of judicial nominees, which Democrats have used to block 10 Bush nominees. The Republican plan has been dubbed the "nuclear option" because some say it would blow up Senate relations. The plan would change the vote for confirmation of judges from a two-thirds majority to 50+1 a simple majority. In his party's weekly radio address, Reid said "When it comes down to it, stripping away these important checks and balances is about the arrogance of those in power who want to rewrite the rules so that they can get their way," Although not mentioning him by name, Reid issued a scathing attack on House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, saying there was a "Republican leader threatening judges who protect our rights and corrupting our government by running roughshod over the ethics committee to protect himself." Reid of course was referring to the fact that DeLay rather than answer questions regarding his ethical problems, instead is trying to keep the spotlight on his suggestion that an impeachment case could made against judges in the recent Terri Schiavo controversy. "The time will come for the men responsible for this to answer for their behavior," DeLay said when Schiavo died. In the last year, the House Ethics Committee admonished DeLay three times over alleged ethics violations. However, at his urging, Republican leaders changed the House ethics rules regarding the stepping down of a congressional committee chairman if convicted of ethics violations. In another slap at DeLay and his Republican supporters Reid said "Our children know that you can't change the rules just to get your way. I think it's time that Washington Republicans remembered those truths."