The following commentary by Marie A. Faillinger, Kendra Brodin, Mike Essien, Ben Kwan and Larissa Maldonado was posted on the Star Tribune website September 2, 2017:
Sens. Klobuchar and Franken are right to be taking their time.
U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen should not have called out U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken for “obstructionism” in the nomination of Minnesota Supreme Court Justice David Stras to fill retired Judge Diana Murphy’s seat on the Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (“Partisan game-playing blocks an outstanding judge,” Opinion Exchange, Aug. 25).
To call their delay “obstructionism” is to say “let’s just move along with the process.”
Paulsen calls for a rubber stamp on a judicial nomination that was anything but open and transparent and that was not one that might yield the diverse court that the public needs.