"Four Trials"

"FOUR TRIALS"

Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, as we approach the end of this Congress, we will reach a point when a number of us will make statements reflecting on those who will not be returning to the Senate next year. I will miss a number of Senators who have chosen not to seek reelection. Today, I want to focus on a Senator who is responding to the country's call by joining with another extraordinary American leader, John Kerry, in this year's national campaign. I speak, of course, of John Edwards, whose energy, optimism and good sense have been a great asset to the Senate over the last 6 years.

I read that political partisans at corporate business and insurance organizations have established a "November Fund" of $10 million to seek to smear John Edwards. I hope that before the American people or the media fall prey to these attacks, they consider the facts. In that regard, I urge Americans to read "Four Trials". This extraordinary book is an autobiographical account of John Edwards's life and some of the cases in which he represented ordinary citizens who had suffered grievous wrongs. JOHN is rightly proud of his hard work as the lawyer representing E.G. Sawyer, Jennifer Campbell, Josh Howard, Valerie Lakey and so many other middle class and working class families against powerful interests that both harmed them and then refused to acknowledge responsibility for causing that harm.

I wish that those preparing to launch attacks against John Edwards and other trial lawyers would read "Four Trials." It has recently been released in paperback, so now for only $13 they may save themselves millions in negative attack ads. No one who knows the story of John Edwards's legal career can have anything other than admiration for what he was able to achieve through hard work, persistence and belief in the American people who serve on our Nation's juries. That faith in ordinary Americans and commitment to justice is what he is now bringing to American voters across the Nation.

My plea may be futile when addressed to the rabid partisans who, again this year, will apparently stop at nothing. Those who will foster and promote attacks on John Kerry's military service and on John Edwards's representation of injured, ordinary citizens in need of a voice have likewise savagely attacked JOHN MCCAIN during the Republican primaries 4 years ago and MAX CLELAND 2 years ago.

They promote attacks to divide us. They lessen America by fostering squabbles for partisan gain. I was pleased to see John Kerry and John Edwards issue a call at the Democratic nominating convention in August for the Republican ticket and its supporters to abandon negative attacks. I am disappointed that Republican partisans have not risen to that challenge but continue to engage in what is rightfully termed a "smear and fear" campaign. George Bush could have and should have called a halt to the scurrilous attacks upon John Kerry's heroic military service but seems more than willing to see Karl Rove's well-known smear tactics dominate this fall's campaign.

The upcoming wave of attacks against John Edwards will be one financed by those who oppose lowering drug prices for seniors, oppose a real patients' bill of rights and oppose accountability for misconduct that shatters the lives of ordinary Americans. Let them tell David and Sandy Lakey that John Edwards, and lawyers like him who fight for victims, should not be allowed to seek justice in America.

I urge fair-minded Republicans and independents as well as Democrats to consider John Edwards's life and work and to read "Four Trials." It will make you cry. It will remind you that good-hearted people like JOHN and Elizabeth Edwards do the right thing and seek to help their neighbors. It will make you proud to live in a country where ordinary Americans can take on the powerful with the help of a committed legal advocate and achieve some measure of justice.

I look forward to the days and weeks ahead when more and more of the country will have the opportunity to get to know John Edwards. I have every confidence that come the inauguration in January, JOHN will return as President of the Senate as a part of his duties as Vice President of the United States. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to serve with him, and I look forward to working with him on behalf of the American people in the years to come.