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Senate Democrats Threaten to Block More Bush Nominees
NY Times ^
| March 26, 2004
| DAVID STOUT
Posted on 03/26/2004 4:39:17 PM PST by neverdem
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March 26, 2004
Senate Democrats Threaten to Block More Bush NomineesBy DAVID STOUT
 ASHINGTON, March 26 — Senate Democrats threatened today to block all of President Bush's judicial nominations unless the White House promised not to name any more judges while Congress was away.
"These actions not only poison the nomination process," the minority leader, Senator Tom Daschle, Democrat of South Dakota, said. "They strike at the principle of checks and balances that is one of pillars of American democracy." Senator Charles E. Schumer, Democrat of New York, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called Mr. Bush's use of recess appointments "a finger in the eye of the Constitution." Five weeks ago, President Bush used a Congressional recess to install William H. Pryor Jr., the Alabama attorney general, in a federal appeals court seat to get around a Democratic filibuster that had blocked his nomination. Mr. Pryor will be able to serve on the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, based in Atlanta, until the end of the next session of Congress — meaning sometime in the fall of 2005. The Pryor appointment was the second time this year that Mr. Bush used a president's power to make appointments when Congress is not in session to name judges directly to the bench and thus skirt the Senate confirmation process. In January, Mr. Bush named Charles W. Pickering Sr., whose nomination had also been blocked by Senate Democrats, to a seat for the Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, based in New Orleans. He, too, will have to step down before many months, unless there is a huge shift in the Senate and he is able to win confirmation. "We will be clear," Senator Daschle said today. "We will continue to cooperate in the confirmation of federal judges, but only if the White House gives the assurance that it will no longer abuse the process and that it will once again respect our Constitution's essential system of checks and balances." President Bush and his chief spokesman, Scott McClellan, were in the Southwest today and thus not ready to respond immediately to the Democrats' move. Senator Bill Frist, Republican of Tennessee, the majority leader, called the tactic "posturing" and told reporters no administration would rule out recess appointments. Senate Democrats have blocked several of Mr. Bush's nominations on grounds that his choices are out of the judicial mainstream and have shown an insensitivity to civil rights. Mr. Bush has said the Democrats are playing politics and in so doing thwarting honest, highly qualified people.
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TOPICS: Breaking News; Constitution/Conservatism; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: District of Columbia
KEYWORDS: daschle; dems; federaljudges; judicialnominees; obstrictionists; senatedemocrats
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Check Chucky. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. What's Constitutional about a supermajority filibuster?
1
posted on
03/26/2004 4:39:18 PM PST
by
neverdem
To: neverdem
I see the usual suspects making their Friday afternoon whine session.
2
posted on
03/26/2004 4:41:38 PM PST
by
Maigrey
(We don't need a thumbsucker in the White House. - azgopgal)
To: neverdem
Screw 'em. Recess appoint every damn vacancy that there is left. They want to play hardball? Make them sit in DC and confirm judges instead of being out on the campaign trail.
3
posted on
03/26/2004 4:42:21 PM PST
by
SCHROLL
To: neverdem
Duck the Femocrats!
To: neverdem
Precisely. Eff 'em.
5
posted on
03/26/2004 4:44:35 PM PST
by
My2Cents
("Well...there you go again.")
To: SCHROLL
At least recess appointments are CONSTITUTIONAL!
6
posted on
03/26/2004 4:45:05 PM PST
by
My2Cents
("Well...there you go again.")
To: SCHROLL
I too have two words for the 'Rats..."Recess Appointment"
7
posted on
03/26/2004 4:45:22 PM PST
by
kellynla
(U.S.M.C. 1/5 1st Mar Div. Nam 69&70 Semper Fi http://www.vietnamveteransagainstjohnkerry.com)
To: neverdem
The administration needs to tie together liberal judges appointed by Democrats, with gay marriage and the pledge case.
To: neverdem
""These actions not only poison the nomination process," the minority leader, Senator Tom Daschle, Democrat of South Dakota, said. "They strike at the principle of checks and balances that is one of pillars of American democracy."
This from the guy who invented and then perfected the poisoning of the process.
9
posted on
03/26/2004 4:49:20 PM PST
by
Gringo1
(All contents of this post may be contrived,made-up,or just plain not true at all.)
To: neverdem
Pity party for the dems!! BOO HOO.......followed by LOLOLOL
10
posted on
03/26/2004 4:51:02 PM PST
by
OldFriend
(Always understand, even if you remain among the few)
To: neverdem
Up-Chucky Schumer; the living, breathing, defintion of pond slime; the kind of pond slime even bleach won't kill... The skid mark in humanities shorts...
The unwanted relative who won't leave... The very sight of this man revolts me.
11
posted on
03/26/2004 4:54:22 PM PST
by
gatorgriz
("The world is full of bastards - the number ever increasing the further one gets from Missoula, MT")
To: neverdem
Charles Schumer is a pustule on the buttocks of the goddess of Justice.
12
posted on
03/26/2004 4:59:12 PM PST
by
Argus
(If you favor surrender to terrorism, vote Democrat.)
To: I still care
"The administration needs to tie together liberal judges appointed by Democrats, with gay marriage and the pledge case."
Couldn't say it better myself!
13
posted on
03/26/2004 5:14:39 PM PST
by
Califelephant
(John Kerry has more positions than the Kama Sutra)
To: Maigrey
Aren't they pitiful! I love it! If they keep this up - the President's office will not be the only place where we have a landslide.
14
posted on
03/26/2004 5:18:53 PM PST
by
CyberAnt
(The 2004 Election is for the SOUL of AMERICA)
To: neverdem
bush get ready for the next recess and make recess appoints of all those not approved...btw when is the next recess?
15
posted on
03/26/2004 5:22:39 PM PST
by
metoooo
To: neverdem
Senator Charles E. Schumer, Democrat of New York, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called Mr. Bush's use of recess appointments "a finger in the eye of the Constitution." If Dubya really wants to stick it to him, he'll recess appoint either Judge Bork, or Ken Starr during the next recess. I'd pay good money to see that!!!
To: neverdem
The President should immediately give a national speech in which he absolutely calls the Democrats on this threat. The speach should address the fact that recess appointments are specifically provided for in the Constitution, have been made by every modern president, are necessary because of the dim's refusal to provide consent as required by the Constitution, etc. As others have suggested, he could also tie this into judicial activism, the pledge case, the gay marriage issue, etc.
The dim's can either back down (in which case they look like fools), or follow through with their no votes on nominees threat. In the latter case, the Republican's should exercise the "nuclear option."
Frist can simply direct the Clerk of the Senate to schedule nominees before the full Senate for an up or down vote. He can do this on the grounds that, to the extent the Senate rules require a supermajority to pass the nominee to a full vote, they are in violation of the direct and specific constitutional requirement that the Senate provide affirmative advice and consent with respect to the President's judicial nominations.
The dim's could challenge Frist's ruling. But because this would be a challenge to the chair's interpretation of the rules, the issue would be resolved by a simple majority vote--in which the Republicans, if they stick together, could prevail.
Will it happen? I am not holding my breath.
To: neverdem
WELL... W should just appoint judges out the yang everytime the Senate goes out!
18
posted on
03/26/2004 5:31:10 PM PST
by
sonofatpatcher2
(Love & a .45-- What more could you want, campers? };^)
To: neverdem
Senate Democrats threatened today to block all of President Bush's judicial nominations unless the White House promised not to name any more judges while Congress was away. Like they wouldn't block the president's nominations anyway. Riiight.
19
posted on
03/26/2004 5:34:49 PM PST
by
lonevoice
(Some things have to be believed to be seen)
To: TheConservator
Bush should say out loud that he won't recess-appoint any judge who has been given an up-or-down vote in the Senate.
But that not allowing a vote will always lead to a recess appointment.
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