In Act of Defiance, Democrat Stalls Obama Choice for Court
When a Democratic president nominates a federal judge from a state with two Democratic senators and the Senate itself is controlled by Democrats a speedy confirmation hearing typically follows.
But in an unusual case of intraparty defiance, Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey is holding up President Obamas nomination of a judge to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, the only time a Democrat has tried to block one of Mr. Obamas judicial appointments.
Mr. Menendez would not comment on why he was holding up the nomination. But the nominee, Patty Shwartz, has been in a relationship for more than two decades with the head of the public corruption unit for New Jerseys federal prosecutor. And that unit investigated the senator during his 2006 election fight, an inquiry Mr. Menendez has long contended was politically motivated.
Judge Shwartz, now a federal magistrate judge in Newark, a lower-level position, declined to comment. But the connection has led the states bar association to speculate that Mr. Menendez is acting out of resentment, rather than any concern about Judge Shwartzs qualifications.
full: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/06/nyregion/senator-robert-menendez-stalls-obama-move-to-promote-judge-patty-shwartz.html
usregimechange
(18,373 posts)Liberal_Stalwart71
(20,450 posts)Tx4obama
(36,974 posts)Justice wanted
(2,657 posts)is because he is afraid of his re-election.
It is still a stupid and low down move but what can you do when you basically have two political parties being control by special interests and corporations you have Senators and Reps looking after their own heads instead of the best interest of the American people.
(edit for spelling)
lsewpershad
(2,620 posts)SixthSense
(829 posts)I'd call it taking hostages
wonder what his demands are?
WCGreen
(45,558 posts)and he is blocking the confirmation due to that or it could be that Obama left something out of the federal budget for NJ and the senator is holding it up. Could even be a nomination from the Senator that the president is holding back...
My guess.
hughee99
(16,113 posts)craigmatic
(4,510 posts)Rex
(65,616 posts)AtomicKitten
(46,585 posts)Unless Rep. Menendez has a complaint against Judge Schwartz herself, I think he should stop using his office to settle political scores by proxy.
jerseyjack
(1,361 posts)The corruption case against Menendez was brought by Christie when he was federal prosecutor for N.J. It was initiated when Menendez was running for senate and ended without indictments. I believe it was last year that the prosecutor's office issued a statement clearing Menendez of any wrong-doing.
certainot
(9,090 posts)mold as a guy that would do that shit to nose his way up the ladder.
thanks for the detail. obama doesn't have to know everything.
quakerboy
(13,920 posts)And how does blocking this nominee further it?
Is the implication that he believes this Obama nominee is actually a Christie stooge?
lunatica
(53,410 posts)Let's see if his reason for blocking this has legs. I'm all for exposing the truth.
lonestarnot
(77,097 posts)Fuckwad!
ieoeja
(9,748 posts)Hawkowl
(5,213 posts)Conflict of interest, etc. Just because the President nominates someone doesn't mean it's a lock.
a2liberal
(1,524 posts)EC
(12,287 posts)I've seen him on the TV complaining about something recently (I think last month) and it was complaining about Obama. Don't remember what the issue was now, but I do remember saying to myself that he was being petty and spiteful for some reason. It was just his manner in that interview that really bothered me. Wish I could remember what it was about.
yurbud
(39,405 posts)doing it to protect your own ass is one thing, but doing it on principle, to hold out for stronger legislation or block unconstitutional provisions of bills seems to be too much to ask.
quakerboy
(13,920 posts)I genuinely dont know anything about Menendez. But a post above indicates that after an investigation induced by a highly motivated (questionably honest) partisan Christie was unable to find anything to indict him.
Beavker
(823 posts)Otherwise, there is no...reason to do so.
Ben Nelson moment for this Dem. If the DNC has any balls, he'd be primaried instantly.
Pab Sungenis
(9,612 posts)had blocked Alito.
sulphurdunn
(6,891 posts)there would never have been an investigation of an incumbent Republican senator running for reelection two months before election day for any reason under a Christie administration .
The Wizard
(12,542 posts)list of U.S. Attorneys to be fired for not prosecuting enough big named Democrats. He launched specious investigations into Menendez and other NJ Democrats and kept his job. Christie is a slime ball like his master Rove.
truthisfreedom
(23,146 posts)rather than give morale to the pukes.
totodeinhere
(13,058 posts)The Obama campaign promised transparency for good reason. Government done out in the open in public is good government.
emaxwell1313
(9 posts)Democrat members of Congress seem to be in a race to defy each other's authority and are even continually bending the Constitution, forcing Obama to do the same. And then the accusations naturally start flying that Obama wants to completely defy the Constitution, lead for more than 8 years and be a dictator and start the same processes that led to Nazi Germany. Is that what is happening or am I missing something ?
Bucky
(53,998 posts)Survivoreesta
(221 posts)What's up with Menendez?