In death as much as in life, political controversy surrounds Terri Schiavo. "The actions on the part of the Florida court and the U.S. Supreme Court are unconscionable," Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., said Thursday, attacking judges who repeatedly had refused to order tube-fed nourishment restored to the brain-damaged woman.
"This loss happened because our legal system did not protect the people who need protection most, and that will change," House Majority Leader Tom DeLay added in a statement issued hours after Schiavo's death at a Florida hospice.
The time will come for the men responsible for this to answer for their behavior," said the Texan. DeLay was a driving force behind legislation Congress passed two weeks ago that gave federal courts jurisdiction in an attempt to save Schiavo's life.
Asked later at a news conference about possible impeachment proceedings against judges in the case, DeLay said, "There's plenty of time to look into that."
DeLay complained of "an arrogant and out of control judiciary that thumbs its nose at Congress and the president."
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy took stronger exception.
"I'm not sure what Mr. DeLay meant when he said 'the time will come for the men responsible for this to answer for their behavior,'" the Massachusetts Democrat said in a written statement. "But at a time when emotions are running high, Mr. DeLay needs to make clear that he is not advocating violence against anyone."
Republicans hold 55 seats in the Senate, and Democrats face a difficult challenge in turning back any attempt to change the rules by majority vote.
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