March 2, 2005
CALLING TINIAN:
Democrats on Senate Panel Pummel Judicial Nominee (NEIL A. LEWIS, 3/02/05, NY Times)
The Senate moved closer to a major partisan breakdown over judicial appointments on Tuesday as Democrats on the Judiciary Committee assailed one of President Bush's nominees and asserted he would not be confirmed to the bench.Republicans had hoped that the nominee, William G. Myers III, who had been nominated to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, might get enough Democratic support to win confirmation and break a long-term logjam over judicial posts.
But minutes into a two-hour hearing, Democrats on the committee began pummeling Mr. Myers, a longtime lobbyist for the mining and ranching industries, as unfit for the federal bench. [...]
While there seemed to be no flexibility among Democrats on the committee on Tuesday, the real test will come when the nomination moves to the Senate floor.
Mr. Specter said at the hearing that he had counted 58 votes in the Senate supporting Mr. Myers's confirmation "and that's within shouting distance" of the 60 votes needed to break any Democratic filibuster.
But Mr. Specter's tally appeared to include Ken Salazar, the new Democratic senator from Colorado, who as the state's attorney general signed a letter supporting Mr. Myers's confirmation. Mr. Salazar has since said that he had not made up his mind. On Thursday, he released a letter to the White House calling on Mr. Bush to withdraw Mr. Myers's name, along with the six others who have been renominated, as a gesture to find grounds for compromise.
You know what they say: donkeys learn to love the whip. Posted by Orrin Judd at March 2, 2005 8:32 PM
Actually, the ultimate 'nuclear' option would be to recess appoint Mark Levin to the Supreme Court.
Posted by: jim hamlen at March 2, 2005 8:58 PMI'd had the impression Salazar was one of the smart ones. Shows what I know.
Posted by: Mike Morley at March 2, 2005 9:42 PMIt really is time to show the Dems that it's the minority party that does any "compromising", and time for the GOP to finally act like the majority did from 1933 through 1980.
Posted by: Raoul Ortega at March 2, 2005 10:38 PMThe republicans should look at what Bush has accomplished with boldness and follow his lead. Go to the mattresses. Break a fillibuster on Myers. Then do it again on the next appointee. When the democrats see they can't win and can barely hold up progress, they'll roll over like an illigitimate Lebanese government. It's time to fight. What are they afraid of? They're the majority cryin' out loud!
Posted by: Pat H at March 2, 2005 11:51 PMWell said, Pat H. It reminds me of Vito Corleone's line from The Godfather when Johnny Fontaine says, "What can I do, Godfather?": "You can act like a man!!" They're the leaders! Lead!
Posted by: Governor Breck at March 3, 2005 5:51 AMThe Judiciary committee is stacked with partisan flunkies on the Democrat side. Salazar is far from unassailable in his seat and alienating UMW members, who are a major Colorado Democrat constituency especially in the part of Colorado where he is from, will not be happy about opposing someone who wants to preserve their jobs. If he folds on this, the other Salazar in the Colorado 3d is roadkill.
Just looking at the vulnerable seats on the Democratic side, it seems to me that any GOP judicial nominee who doesn't eat live babies ought to be able to get confirmed.
Posted by: Bart at March 3, 2005 6:43 AM