Posted on 10/14/2014 10:45:29 AM PDT by Second Amendment First
President Barack Obama will not nominate a new attorney general until after Election Day, a White House aide confirmed Tuesday.
The aide said to expect the decision in early to mid-November, aimed for after the midterms to avoid the appointment getting caught up in election year politics.
The White House aide said the decision to wait was driven in part by Senate Democrats. Had a nominee been named before the elections, Democratic Senate candidates would inevitably been hounded on the trail to weigh in on the choice—presenting an uncomfortable situation for people who have been trying to keep their political distance from Obama, but would eventually be called on to support the president’s pick.
Former White House counsel Kathy Ruemmler, Labor Secretary Tom Perez and Solicitor General Don Verrilli remain the top candidates under consideration.
The delay could create a chaotic situation if the White House wants a lame duck confirmation, even if the nomination comes immediately after Election Day. The the majority of the Senate might not be known for days, given several tight races, or even weeks, if it hinges on the run-offs in Louisiana and Georgia. The internal Senate process usually takes place over at least a month and a half that’s consumed by vetting, questionnaires and meetings between a nominee and key senators.
And there isn’t much time for Obama to make the nomination even then: he’s scheduled to head off on a long trip to Asia shortly after the election.
Another potential problem if the majority flips, but the White House attempts a lame duck nomination anyway: Senate Republicans could boycott the committee vote, forcing Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to upend the usual process even more and bring the confirmation up directly on the floor.
Sen. Chuck Grassley, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, accused Obama and Democratic leaders of playing politics with the nomination, tying it to the earlier decision to punt an executive order on immigration policy until after the midterms.
“First it was immigration, and now Senate Democrats have asked the president to delay his announcement for attorney general so they can avoid making clear to the voters of their states where they stand on what could be a controversial choice for attorney general,” Grassley said in a statement.
But people in the West Wing still believe that even in a Republican Senate, an attorney general nominee could get confirmed—the GOP won’t be willing to let the nation’s top law enforcement position remain unfilled, even if it blocks all the rest of the president’s nominees.
When he feel gosh darn good and ready.
Does this mean Eboma believes the Senate will remain in Democrat hands thanks to millions of illegal alien voters come November???? HMMMMMM??????
Even if you hate the GOP, vote anyway. Obama and his ‘RATS must be stopped! JMO.
Punter in Chief
No it means he can get a lame duck confirmation by senators with nothing to lose. The rest of us have everything to lose.
What’s the full list of things Obama has postponed until after the election?
AG nomination
Amnesty executive order
Findings the Bergdahl investigation
List of Fast and Furious documents
Obamacare rates for 2015
Bill Ayers?.................
Agreed. Nominee will be confirmed during the lame duck session.
I’m sure Harry Reid already has the plan in place to rubber stamp him during the lame duck session.
Personally? I’m praying that God has mercy on Justice Ginzburg... until at least January.
That’s perfect.
Thanks Maggie.
We should abolish the position if it is not important enough to have one during an ebola-enterovirus-TB outbreak
“The the majority of the Senate might not be known for days, given several tight races, or even weeks, if it hinges on the run-offs in Louisiana and Georgia. The internal Senate process usually takes place over at least a month and a half that’s consumed by vetting, questionnaires and meetings between a nominee and key senators.”
That is a good point, a vote before the runoff would doom the RAT that voted to confirm.
We need to stall it until the new Republican Senate is sworn in.
The GOP will likely pass anyone he nominates, like they did last time they were a majority
Nidel Hasan, the Fort Hood Domestic Terrorist.
Obama will pardon him, then appoint him AG, without even asking for any confirmation.
With McCain and Graham leading the way!
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