Alito

Excerpt from the National Journal Group:

Pro-Alito Group Puts Pressure On Dakota Dems

By Jennifer Koons

National Journal Group, Jan. 20, 2006

The Coalition for a Fair Judiciary puts Sens. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., and Kent Conrad, D-N.D., in its cross hairs this weekend with a targeted advertising campaign urging the moderate lawmakers to back Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito.

A CFJ spokesman characterized the buy as "the first phase of the campaign if [Democrats] continue to make this an election-year issue."

Both ads follow similar scripts and encourage constituents to tell their senators to "vote yes on Judge Alito and stand with mainstream America not Ted Kennedy."

On Thursday, Johnson said he had not yet decided how he will vote on Alito. "I think it's premature for me to be announcing a final position on Judge Alito while the Senate Judiciary Committee is still dealing with his nomination process," the senator told the Sioux Falls Argus Leader.

For his part, Conrad said this week he has agreed to a Bush administration request to meet a second time with the nominee before announcing his vote.

Meanwhile, the pro-Alito Committee For Justice began airing a series of radio ads Thursday aimed at influencing Democratic senators in Louisiana and Arkansas, as well as North and South Dakota.

Also, this from the mailbag:

Senator Johnson considering voting against Judge Alito. Your calls are needed today! ...
AFA has learned that Senator Johnson is seriously considering voting against the confirmation of Judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court.

Your calls asking Senator Johnson to vote FOR the confirmation of Judge Alito are needed today. Time is short. You can call his office directly.

SENATOR JOHNSON'S DIRECT NUMBER IS 202-224-5842

Please call today!