Nearly 17 months into the Obama Presidency and still no nominations to the DC Circuit

[usregimechange]

There are two vacant seats on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The DC Circuit is widely considered to be second to the Supreme Court in terms of prestige and importance. It is often a springboard for Supreme Court Justices. Justices Roberts, Scalia, Thomas, and Ginsburg all came from the DC Circuit.

Both vacant seats have been vacant for the entire duration of Obama's Presidency (seat 6 since 2005 and seat 9 since 2008). So why hasn't Obama nominated anyone?

[Bluebear]

1. He can't just wave a magic wand.

:silly:

[madrchsod]

2. actually he can...recess appointments

[usregimechange]

3. He can to get them seated but he hasn't even nominated anyone using the normal process

[usregimechange]

4. If they don't confirm Liu, Obama needs to use that particular magic wand

[Tx4obama]

5. But what happens if ....

if Obama does recess appointments (which are NOT permanent, would last less than two years) and then if the Senate doesn't confirm those particular people... they will be out of a job completely since they will have to give up their current positions in order to accept the recess appointments, right?

If I were a nominee I think I would rather hang on to my current job until the senate votes on a future job.