The vote is a shot across the bow in terms of the Justice Department and how it conducts itself, in terms of upcoming Supreme Court nominations, and the push-and-pull within the Bush administration. Will it be bipartisan or will it be pulled to the right?

From conflicts of interest to inexplicable delays the actions so far of the attorney general and the Justice Department make it far less likely that the culprit will be found and that justice will be served.

There is a clear conflict of interest for the Justice Department,

I'm prepared to do everything I can to stop the nomination of Justice Pickering. We can do a lot better.

Sen. Graham and I do not think it would be appropriate to vote on this bill while the president is there, so we have agreed to delay the vote,

I am not saying I will vote against John Ashcroft because he is pro-life, ... But let me say if someone was nominated for attorney general who was vehemently pro choice -- who in his or her career spent decades trying to find ways to expand the law abortion at nine months would be perfectly legal -- wouldn't you be more upset and raise more of a voice than against a nominee who was simply pro-choice?