Craig Oliver, Independent Party U.S. Senate candidate, says Sen. Orrin Hatch should filibuster the federal crime bill.
Oliver says Hatch, R-Utah, has been in Congress too long if he doesn't think he should use the most drastic of parliamentary tactics - the Senate filibuster - to stop the bill."The crime bill is not the proper name for this bill," says Oliver. "It should be called the Anti-Bill of Rights bill or the Christmas Tree bill." Oliver said the bill rewards everyone with anything they've ever wanted and will include hundreds of new laws if passed.
It's likely the bill will pass. A House-Senate conference committee has worked out a compromise - not much liked by some lawmakers - and President Clinton has said he'll sign the bill.
Hatch said after seeing the bill that it isn't tough enough and provides too much "lard" to the social aspects of crime. He said he may vote against it. But Democrats - the majority - will likely vote for it, so Republicans like Hatch couldn't stop the bill unless they filibuster it.
"The Republicans have the votes to filibuster and yet Hatch refuses to filibuster," Oliver charged in a press release. Oliver has scheduled a press conference outside of Hatch's Salt Lake office on Friday to complain about Hatch's actions.
Oliver complains that the bill's cost, $33.3 billion, is too high; that banning assault rifles infringes on the people's right to bear arms; that in increases the U.N. role in fighting international crime; and provides money for youth gang basketball and gives gangs first-rights on reserving federal park lands.