No principled deed goes unpunished

Charles Krauthammer on the scandalous treatment of William Pryor, President Bush’s court of appeals nominee. Pryor, Alabama’s Attorney General, just oversaw the removal of the Ten Commandments from the Alabama state courthouse, even though he profoundly disagrees with the ruling that required the removal (when was the last time any Democrat of note did anything this principled?). This was consistent with his long record of enforcing laws with which he disagrees. Yet the Senate Democrats continue to block Pryor’s nomination on the pretext that his “strongly held views” will interfere with his ability to follow the law as a judge. Krauthammer draws the obvious inference that the real reason for the Democrats’ opposition is the content of Pryor’s views coupled with the fact that they emanate from religious belief.