Obama court pick withdraws, thwarted by Republicans in Senate | McClatchy
By DAVID G. SAVAGE | Tribune Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON — WASHINGTON-Former New York state attorney Caitlin Halligan, President Barack Obama's choice for the U.S. court of appeals here, withdrew her name Friday, defeated by the Republican minority in the Senate.
Halligan's withdrawal is the latest example of how the GOP has employed the filibuster rule not only to block major legislation, but routine presidential appointments as well.
The D.C. Circuit decides significant challenges to federal regulations, including those on environmental protection and worker's rights. Obama is the first president who has been unable to put a single judge on the court.
The Constitution says judges are to be nominated by the president and confirmed by a majority vote in the Senate. Halligan had the support of the Senate's Democratic majority, but minority Republicans blocked a vote to confirm her. Under the Senate's rules, it takes 60 votes to close debate and set a final vote.
Obama issued a statement saying he was "deeply disappointed that...a minority of senators continued to block a simple up-or-down vote on her nomination. The D.C. Circuit is considered the nation's second highest court, but it now has more vacancies than any other circuit court. This is unacceptable."...
...Liberal groups have been upset by the success of the GOP filibuster strategy. "The D.C. Circuit is far to important to be held hostage by Senate obstructionists," said Caroline Frederickson, president of the American Constitution Society.
"Senate Democrats need to revisit the Senate rules reform and stand up to the tyranny of the minority," said Nan Aron, president of the Alliance for Justice...
Funny, I don't recall these people screaming about the need to "revisit the Senate rules reform and stand up to the tyranny of the minority." when Democrats were using the rules to block Bush nominees to the courts.
A really good example of this:
...Halligan was first nominated in 2010 to fill a seat on the D.C. circuit that has been vacant since 2005 when then-Judge John Roberts became the chief justice of the United States.
President George W. Bush has two of his D.C. circuit nominees blocked by Democratic filibusters, but he also succeeded in winning confirmation for four appointees to the appeals court...
Why wasn't Mr Robert's seat filled? Wouldn't have anything to do with a filibuster would it?
But the comments below are great:
Bill Tobey
There is a core issue here. This would be true whether Republicans or Democrats block a nomination.
I read that the process was intended to have an opporutnity for the nominee to be questioned by the Senate in public. Key word is in public. This way the citizens have a sense of who the person is & their beliefs.
After thtn deference to our President's choice is appropriate this was true in the 1700s and should be now.
It isn't a matter of qualifications of a nominee or particularly beliefs, instead it is about respecting the right of the President to choose.
margaret_fuller
I have no problem with beating up Republican Senators who filibustered. They are at the bottom of the pond scum.
margaret_fuller
There is no civility which can be kept towards Republicans anymore: they are either extremists like the Tea Party or broke dicks who are afraid of standing up for true Republican values. Lose/Lose here.
texasaggie
Harry Reid, thank you very much for capitulating on the filibuster. You don't learn, do you?
I hope your private planet is a desert right next to its sun.
BigOnion
Yeah. Once again, those hard-nosed political pragmatists were wrong, and those silly impractical idealist hippies were right. The refusal of the Democratic party to listen to it's Liberal wing has gone past mere stupidity, and into the realm of perversity. Hey, all you DLC/Third Way types- if the R's won't even let you fill a Court of Appeals vacancy, imagine how things are going to go when it comes time to fill a Supreme Court vacancy? Another prediction from the idealist starry-eyed hippie dreamer wing of your party- the nanosecond, I mean, the picosecond that R's get control of the Senate, they are going to change those filibuster rules so that you won't be able to use their tricks back on them, should you have the guts to do so, which seems unlikely. The R's don't give a fig about the hallowed traditions of the Senate, or any silly gentleman's agreements you were silly enough to make with them.
kbcart , The Age of (T)Reason?
There are deadly consequences to the GOP's continual obstruction and failure to do the job they were elected to:
Does anyone remember a federal judge named John Roll?
"...He died because he went to talk with Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and her staff about the "judicial emergency" that exists in the state today caused by the failure of the Senate and the White House to fill judicial vacancies in Arizona..."
http://www.theatlantic.com/nat...
I believe it is reasonable to suggest Judge Roll's tragic death is the direct result of the GOP's complete and utter failure to perform the duties of their positions as elected officials. His blood is on their hands. They - at the very least - are guilty of criminal negligence regarding Judge Roll's death.
This is beyond politics, bordering on treason and a direct attack on the institutions of America. Despicable.
lambwood
Obama need to put all those republicans in jail.
stingray68
But lambie, you just got out of jail. It's not a good place for anyone.
lambwood
Da , good place for the fat cat greedy republican capitalist to learn how to be poor.
stingray68
What jailhouse survival tips can you give to those fat cats if they hit stir?...
Hopefully the Republicans keep this up. We need something to slow down Obama and his reign of error.
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