Obama Pushes Confirmation of Judges

[usregimechange]

President Barack Obama called on the Senate today to vote on long-stalled nominees for the federal judiciary -- dipping a toe into an issue that has appeared relatively low among his priorities.

In remarks at the White House, Obama said he wants to work with Republicans to fill judicial vacancies. He did not name any individual nominees, but he appeared to reference Nashville, Tenn., labor lawyer Jane Stranch when he said nominees have been waiting as long as eight months to be confirmed.

Obama nominated Stranch in August 2009 to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit, based in Cincinnati. Although she has bipartisan support and there’s no organized, public effort to block her, she’s been waiting since November for a confirmation vote by the full Senate.

“Most of these folks were voted out of committee unanimously, or nearly unanimously, by both Democrats and Republicans,” Obama said. “Both Democrats and Republicans agreed that they were qualified to serve. Nevertheless, some in the minority have used parliamentary procedures time and again to deny them a vote in the full Senate.”

A week ago, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) objected to a vote on Stranch’s nomination, saying he would work with Democrats to set a time later. Republicans have also blocked full Senate votes on two nominees for the 4th Circuit: state judges Albert Diaz and James Wynn Jr., who have been awaiting votes since January. (Pictured above: Wynn, left, and Diaz at their confirmation hearing.)

http://legaltimes.typepad.com/blt/2010/07/obama-pushes-confirmation-of-judges.html


Good to see Obama showing leadership on this issue!

[sharp_stick]

1. It's about time

I know the priorities have been on other things but if we lose seats this fall it's going to be even harder to get anyone confirmed. It's time to get on these and end the single Senator hold shit.