Viv Armstrong, left, and Louise Young at protest in front of Sen. Ted Cruz’s office on March 21.
Louise Young and Al Daniels were among a group of four people who spoke to Sen. Ted Cruz’s staff on Monday (March 21) while about 50 people demonstrated in front of his office on the corner of Hall and Welborn streets, diagonally across from the Centrum.
Demonstrations were held in cities across the country in front of offices of Republican senators, including a rally in front of Cruz’s Houston office, to encourage them to hold a vote on U.S. Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland.
Marsha Fishman of Organizing for Action and Ralph Dowden of Move On in Denton rounded out the foursome.
Young said they spoke to Cruz’s field director and North Texas regional director Jason Wright and an aid for about 15 minutes. She called Wright polite and attentive, and said he took extensive notes, which he said the senator would read.
Fishman made four points at the meeting:
• President Barack Obama has done his job in nominating a qualified candidate.
• The Senate has a constitutional obligation to give the nominee a fair hearing and to take an up-or-down vote
• Historically, the average time from nomination to vote is 67 days. The longest delay was 125 days.
• Obama has 300 days left in his term, more than enough time to consider the nomination.
Young said she made two additional points that were more personally related to Cruz. She pointed out his campaign revolves around adherence to the Constitution and his evangelical faith. She said he has a constitutional duty to consider the nomination and his faith, based on treating your neighbor as you’d want to be treated, gives him a moral obligation to consider the nomination.
“If Sen. Cruz were president, he’d want his nominee given consideration,” Young said she told Wright. “He’s doing the opposite. And the Constitution is clear about the Senate considering presidential nominees.”
And Senator Cornyn…
Lambda Legal Community Educator Omar Narvaez was in Washington, D.C. and ran into Sen. John Cornyn at the AIPAC reception. Here’s the exchange that ensued.
Me: Hello Senator
Cornyn: It’s nice to see you
Me: I’m a constituent from Dallas and an elected office holder and I am here to tell you to do your job and hold a hearing and vote for Merrick Garland for the Supreme Court.
Cornyn: Awkward stare lots of eye blinking
Me: Do your job Senator. Thank you.
