Dems challenge Trump judicial nominee over Knights of Columbus membership

[JHC]

Dems show their true colors. I dont see how any Catholic can support such evil.

Dems challenge Trump judicial nominee over Knights of Columbus membership

Two Democratic senators are scrutinizing a federal judicial nominee over his membership in the Knights of Columbus, drawing a stern rebuke from the Catholic organization.

www.foxnews.com

Dems challenge Trump judicial nominee over Knights of Columbus membership

By Andrew O’Reilly

Published December 24, 2018

Fox News

Two Democratic senators are scrutinizing a federal judicial nominee over his membership in the Knights of Columbus, drawing a stern rebuke from the Catholic organization.

Sens. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., and Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, raised concerns about Omaha-based lawyer Brian Buescher’s membership as part of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s review of his nomination by President Trump to sit on the U.S. District Court in Nebraska, as first reported by the Catholic News Agency.

In a series of questions sent to Buescher, Hirono asked whether his membership in the Knights of Columbus would prevent him from hearing cases “fairly and impartially” and, if confirmed, whether he would end his membership in the Roman Catholic charitable organization.

“The Knights of Columbus has taken a number of extreme positions,” Hirono said in the questionnaire. “For example, it was reportedly one of the top contributors to California’s Proposition 8 campaign to ban same-sex marriage.”

In his response, Buescher argued that the Knights of Columbus’ official positions on issues do not represent every one of the group’s members and said he would recuse himself from hearing cases where he saw a conflict of interest.

“The Knights of Columbus does not have the authority to take personal political positions on behalf of all of its approximately two million members,” Buescher wrote. “If confirmed, I will apply all provisions of the Code of Conduct for United States Judges regarding recusal and disqualification.”

Harris, in her questions to the nominee, called the Knights of Columbus “an all-male society” and asked the Nebraska lawyer if he was aware that the group was anti-abortion and anti-gay marriage when he joined. The California senator also referenced Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson’s statement that abortion amounted to “the killing of the innocent on a massive scale” and asked Buescher if he agreed with the statement.

Buescher responded that his involvement in the group consisted mostly of charitable work and community events at his local Catholic parish. He indicated he would abide by judicial precedent regarding abortion.

The Knights of Columbus maintained that its positions reflect Catholic teachings, and suggested that the senators’ scrutiny amounts to criticism of the Catholic faith.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

It seems fair to ask if a nominee’s membership in an organization might affect their ability to judge impartially. I hope similar questions would be asked of someone who belongs to the NRA or serves on the local Planned Parenthood board, for example.

 

[JimG]

The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic men’s charitable organization which adheres to Catholic teaching.

Questioning whether a member of the Kof C can be an impartial judge is equivalent to asking whether any Catholic can be an impartial judge.

 

[Shakuhachi]

And could the answer possibly be anything but “No” if some teachings are nonnegotiable? Especially when laws are in opposition to teachings.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

This is just an excuse for these two Dems to bring up the hated name of “Columbus” so those people who aren’t familiar with the organization or why it was named that, and probably hate the Catholic Church in general, can spew a bunch of racism baloney.

Nobody is going to reject a judicial nominee over a K of C membership who wasn’t already planning to vote against him anyway.

Stuff like this just shows the desperation of certain Democrats IMHO.

 

[upant]

It seems fair to ask if a nominee’s membership in an organization might affect their ability to judge impartially. I hope similar questions would be asked of someone who belongs to the NRA or serves on the local Planned Parenthood board, for example.

would they have mentioned it if he was a freemason?

 

[Dr_Meinheimer]

Yep. As though his answer is going to change how Hirono and Harris are voting.

it also highlights the religion problem the Democratic party has. It basically comes off as “you can’t be devout and faithful to your religion and be a good judge in America. Tje two are mutually exclusive.”

 

[KMC]

The kind of “devout” Catholics the Democratic Party likes are those like Nancy Pelosi who call themselves “devout”, but support abortion and so-called same sex marriage.

As long as you don’t act Catholic, you are acceptable to the Dem party.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Knights of Columbus got on the Dems’ bad radar in 2008 when Biden misrepresented Catholic teaching on abortion on “Meet the Press” or some similar show, and the Supreme Knight sent an open letter heavy on apologetics stating the Church’s pro-life position. Also, I’m not sure if Biden or somebody else tried to claim Biden was K of C, but he wasn’t a member and that was clearly stated too.

 

[Bon_Croix]

“no religious test”…

How do the 2 senators understand the “religious test” clause of the Constitution? Do they view it in light of it only relates to prohibiting an official from having to sign an oath regarding the non-existence of transubstantiation (as an investigation into his holding firm to the Church of England) or is it broader as it reads literally?

The truth is that the minutes of the Constitutional Congress are still a secret.

However, this is the question I’d ask the 2 senators if they were up for consideration.