Bob Goodlatte maintains a quiet, unassuming presence at the Capitol. He’s represented the Sixth District since nineteen ninety three - and over that times he’s slowly amassed power from his Republican colleagues. Here Goodlatte is gaveling in a recent meeting of his powerful Judiciary Committee.
“Good morning. The Judiciary Committee will come to order and without objection the chair is authorized to declare recess at any time.”
The Judiciary Committee has an expansive portfolio - basically think of it as influencing any court case you’ve ever heard about. That means if you get sued, arrested or even get one of those annoying parking tickets, Goodlatte’s committee has a role in that case. But the Judiciary Committee also has jurisdiction over some of the most headline grabbing issues of the day. Neil Sroka, spokesperson for the progressive group Democracy for America, is livid about Goodlatte’s tenure.
“Time and time again we’ve seen bills die in committee thanks to Chairman Goodlatte’s work to kill them.”
Sroka says every issue from immigration to guns are stacked in a graveyard in back of Goodlatte’s committee.
“Increasingly Chairman Goodlatte is playing the role of Republican hatchet man when it comes to key priorities like fixing the broken immigration system, ending voting discrimination and actually taking real action on gun violence prevention.”
I caught up with Goodlatte in the Capitol and asked him about the charges from the left.
Laslo- “Chairman Goodlatte I’m doing a story on the judiciary committee. What do you think of these accusations that you’re single handedly blocking any gun control hearings or immigration?”
“You’ll have to call my office and we’ll be happy to address the big story you’re doing on the judiciary committee. Thanks a lot.”
Goodlatte’s office never responded to requests for a comment. While Goodlatte refuses to discuss many of those issues with reporters in the Capitol, back in October he did answer a question on calls for gun-control in the wake of the slaying of a television reporter and cameraman in his district. He says he opposes efforts to tighten gun laws.
“My opinion is that we need to have greater enforcement of the myriad of gun laws that we already have on the books. Prosecutions for gun crimes of all kinds whether its use of firearm in commission of a felony whether it is illegally selling firearms, whether its lying on the instant check form that you fill out form when you go to purchase a hand gun.”
That rigidity is annoying Democrats on the Judiciary Committee. Texas Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee says she doesn’t want to take anyone’s guns - she is from Texas after all - but that action is needed.
“On the issue of guns I don’t’ know how much slaughter can occur how much more slaughter can occur before we recognize that gun safety is not gun elimination, the rights of gun owners to be eliminated.”
Still, Lee says the committee is functioning, even if it’s on issues that aren’t garnering national headlines. Listen to her list of Judiciary Committee accomplishments.
“The sentencing bill is bipartisan. The juvenile justice bill on solitary confinement, alternative sentencing, ban the box are bipartisan. So I would make the argument that we’re making steps. The Patriot Act was bipartisan. So I would make the argument that you need to look closely at the judiciary committee and find more bipartisan ship then you might imagine.”
And the chairman obviously maintains allies on the Republican side of the aisle.
“Bob Goodlatte is the epitome of the ideal chairman for any committee.”
That’s Virginia Republican Congressman Randy Forbes. He serves under Goodlatte on the committee. He says Goodlatte’s critics are merely cherry picking pet projects and not focusing on the bipartisan bills the committee is producing.
“I think the Judiciary Committee produces more legislation than any in the House and I think it serves great purpose and gets a lot of things moved through.”
At the start of next year the Judiciary Committee will take up police reform, prison reform and juvenile justice reform. All those issues will test Chairman Goodlatte, but he doesn’t seem to be phased by all the criticisms being lobbed his way.