Byrd, Frist Spar Over Filibuster Changes (Frist walks out on Byrd)

AP ^ | May 13, 2005 | JESSE J. HOLLAND

[FairOpinion]

WASHINGTON - Irritated by Democratic chiding, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist on Thursday defended the "fairness and principle" of pressing a confrontation over judicial filibusters.

During an hourlong exchange, Senate dean Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., told Frist, "Don't leave this as your legacy." That was a reference to a Republican plan to eliminate minority Democrats' ability to block President Bush's judicial choices with just 41 votes in the 100-member Senate.

"You have a shirttail full of nominees, and you're going to wreck Senate tradition," Byrd said.

Annoyed, Frist pointed out that Byrd had promised to support holding confirmation votes.

"Didn't you also say as the other part of that statement to the president of the United States, being critical of the potential legacy I might have to leave in order to stand up for fairness and principle, didn't you also say you would give all of these nominees up-or-down votes?" asked Frist, who is expected to leave the Senate in 2006.

"I don't remember what I said," Byrd replied, "a few or all or three or four, I don't remember."

Bush has repeatedly called for yes-or-no votes requiring a simple majority of 51 on his choices to fill appeals court vacancies instead of making them first garner 60 votes.

Frist has been looking for two years at doing away with the 60-vote requirement to cut off debate in what members of both parties call "the nuclear option." Democrats have promised to retaliate by thwarting Bush's legislative agenda.

"Don't travel that path because the leader of his party may some day be executed on the same gallows," Byrd said.

Republicans have argued that the Constitution requires confirmation votes, though Frist conceded Thursday there's no language in the document that specifies that.

"But when you have a nominee that comes over, all you can do is shine the light, you examine him, unlimited debate," Frist said. "And then to give advice and consent — which is in that Constitution — how do you do it? Vote yes, no. Confirm, reject."

Byrd noted that the Senate has rejected dozens of nominees over the years by simply never voting on them. "Now to give consent, we may vote. But to deny consent doesn't require a vote," he said.

The West Virginia senator kept talking, but Frist eventually walked out of the chamber, leaving Byrd surprised. "Where's my adversary?" he asked.

The tense debate may be only a precursor of the battle next week, when Frist is expected to turn to the first of the White House's blocked nominees.

Democrats blocked 10 of Bush's first-term nominees through filibuster threats and have threatened to do the same to seven of them Bush renominated after winning re-election in November.

Frist has threatened to disallow future filibusters and force a confirmation vote on former Alabama Attorney General William Pryor, Idaho lawyer William Myers, Texas judge Priscilla Owen, California judge Janice Rogers Brown and other nominees Democrats oppose.

Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada has been offering Frist deals on less controversial nominees to try to avoid the showdown.

Reid on Thursday promised that Democrats would not block confirmation votes on Michigan nominees Richard Griffin, David McKeague and Susan Neilson to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals if Frist didn't force a showdown. He made the same offer on former Senate lawyer Thomas Griffith, who wants a seat on the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

"Do you want to confirm judges or do you want to provoke a fight?" Reid said.

Democrats have blocked the Michigan nominees' approval because of the objections of Sens. Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, who were upset because President Clinton's nominees to that court were never given a confirmation hearing by the Republican-controlled Senate.

Levin and Stabenow said they hoped that withdrawing their objection to most of Bush's Michigan nominees would help resolve the filibuster impasse.

Reid also said Democrats would likely filibuster a fourth Michigan nominee, Henry Saad. "All you need to do is have a member go upstairs and look at his confidential report from the FBI and I think you would all agree that there's a problem there," Reid told the Senate.

Reid did not say what was in the report, and he was criticized by conservatives for mentioning it. "With his unsubstantiated charges, Senator Reid unfairly and irresponsibly defames Judge Saad," said Jeffrey Mazzella, president of the Center For Individual Freedom.

The Judiciary Committee sent Pryor's nomination to the full Senate on Thursday, on a 10-8 vote, with all Republicans supporting and all Democrats opposing him.

Pryor, the former Alabama attorney general, holds a temporary seat on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta because Bush last year circumvented the Senate and placed him on the court while lawmakers were out of town. That term expires at the end of the year.

___

On the Net:

Senate Judiciary Committee: http://judiciary.senate.gov

[Sun]

The AP often shows it's liberal colors.

[Sun]

Let's all do our part to help Senator Frist and help our country!

I received this from the Center for Reclaiming America (e-mail), and if you can't call them all, please at least call one or two.

If you can't call them, at least e-mail them (but calling is more effective).

THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR. PLEASE make that call!

The Center has identified six key senators whose votes may well
decide the fate of the filibuster rules change. We are asking
all member of our online team to contact these individual
senators, urging each to FULLY SUPPORT THE FILIBUSTERING
RULES CHANGE.

Even if none of these six senators is your own senator,
please invest the time needed to call each right now.

Here are their names and contact information:

Sen. Susan Collins (ME) 202-224-2523
Sen. Lamar Alexander (TN) 202-224-4944
Sen. Trent Lott (MS) 202-224-6253
Sen. Olympia Snowe (ME) 202-224-5344
Sen. Chuck Hagel (NE) 202-224-4224
Sen. John Warner (VA) 202-224-2023

Here is the toll-free number to reach all of them:

==>877-762-8762

[John Lenin]

Robert Sheets Byrd

[Just A Nobody]

Save for calls tomorrow!

[rogue yam]

Well, I was raised in the South and I was taught not speak ill of gray-haired men like Sen. Byrd.

I dunno. Every time I see Sheets talkin' I gotta wonder "How'd Ross Perot's uncle get out of the attic again?"

[An.American.Expatriate]

Republicans have argued that the Constitution requires confirmation votes, though Frist conceded Thursday there's no language in the document that specifies that.

He did what??????????

U.S. Constitution - Article 2 Section 2

He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.

[Chi-townChief]

bump

[conservativecorner]

Walking away from an important issue is what our senators do best. Just leave the floor so that Sheets Byrd can continue to rant without the light of day being cast on all his pure BS.

[Truth Table]

Here

Found this comment on polipundit by a reader:

Senator Byrd, the “Cosncience of the Senate"… So was Senator Palpatine… [cue the Imperial Theme Music]. Comment by newton

Too Funny

[leprechaun9]

KKK Byrd is worried about legacy?

[Lazamataz]

"I don't remember what I said," Byrd replied

I imagine not, what with the senile dementia and all.

[Inwoodian]

"I don't remember what I said..."

One of the best reasons for telling the truth is that you don't have to remember what you said. It will be the same every time.

[DarthVader]

Yes and since Frist is a surgeon he may pull the old Hannibal Lecter treatment on Sheets.

[AppyPappy]

"I don't remember what I said," Byrd replied,

Let me help you

"There are white n*****rs too"

[DarthVader]

Byrd is a senile, drooling imbecile.

[cousair]

Frist always uses his head. He speaks softly but carries a BIG stick. He will do the right thing. If ever we had a man running things in Congress, Frist is a good one. I feel sure he will bring the Presidents nominees to a vote....up or down.

[paul_fromatlanta]

>> He did what??????????

U.S. Constitution - Article 2 Section 2

He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.<<

Interesting -look at the difference in language.

For treaties it says advice and consent provided two thirds of the Senators present concur.

But then when it talks about advice and consent for appointments it doesn't say 2/3 is needed. Is Frist arguing that means that no vote is needed at all?

[RockinRye]

The usual suspects.

[spokeshave]

Ha....I thought Byrd brain was going to challenge Frist to a duel when he was looking around for his "adversary"