[Statement of Mr. Baldwin, Executive Director, National Law Enforcement Council]
MR. BALDWIN: Mr. Chairman and members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I am Donald Baldwin, the executive director of the National Law Enforcement Council. The NLEC is an umbrella group for 14 member organizations. Through these organizations we reach some 500,000 law enforcement officers throughout the country and certainly the overwhelming majority of our law enforcement community.
Now, these gentlemen here will represent the views of their organizations, and I can state that they will represent the views of our member organizations as well.
We have endorsed Judge Thomas for the United States Supreme Court because we feel that Judge Thomas will assure that justice will be carried out through the right interpretation of our laws as they have been enacted by our legislative bodies. Judge Thomas in our view will interpret the Constitution as written. Legal scholars have determined that the nominee believes that a Supreme Court Justice, or any other judge, should not use his position as a judge to legislate new laws not already on the books. This is most important because the law enforcement personnel who must put their lives on the line every day and have to trust the laws. Our members want to know that if they arrest a person for breaking a law that he will be judged on the basis of that particular law, not by a new law that might be legislated on the spot by a judge. The law is the law. The Constitution is the Constitution.
Judge Thomas should certainly be confirmed for a seat on the United States Supreme Court. He has our wholehearted support.
We thank you for the opportunity to express our views.
As I have said, I am sure that these gentlemen here will speak not only for themselves, but they will speak for the entire law enforcement community, I believe.
SENATOR BIDEN: Thank you very much, Mr. Baldwin.
SENATOR BIDEN: Gentlemen, have you decided who should go next? Otherwise, we will go in seniority before this committee. Johnny, you go ahead. You have testified before this committee more than anybody. Or do you want--you all figure out how the devil you want to go; otherwise, I am just going to pick somebody and you are going to go.
MR. PEED: I will go first.
SENATOR BIDEN: All right.
I have been informed by my senior colleague to get you to "watch the light." You all are very familiar with green and amber and red lights. When the red light comes on, as he has informed me to tell you, please stop.