[DrDeb]

"Can you answer why Boxer gets to just put a hold on a nominee that has been voted out of committee? I don't get this."


As I understand it, any Senator can place a 'hold' on a candidate at any time. Only the Senator or a super majority vote (60 senators) can remove the hold.

The more I learn about this dysfunctional institution (the Senate) the more I pity Senator Frist . . . Heart surgery had to be a much easier and more rewarding profession!!!

[Specter and Warner have been mentioned as possible problems; however, Senator Kyl seemed to believe they were both 'on board' . . . Of course, after Voinovich got his ugly mug on the front page of the NYTimes today, who knows how the 'moderates' will behave next week!!!]

[MJY1288]

From what I understand, once the nominee is out of Committee, a Sednator cannot place a hold on the Floor vote, The Majority leader has complete control of the Floor

[CAluvdubya]

But on what basis can she put a hold on Bolton? She was on the committee that just scoured the country for info (aka: dirt) about him. It has been hashed and rehashed. I thought that was the job of that committee and now on to the senate.

Will she really get away with this?

[JustaCowgirl]

The more I learn about this dysfunctional institution (the Senate) the more I pity Senator Frist

Boy, have you got that right. Can you imagine having to try to deal with that bunch of sissified, arrogant, childish boors, half of whom give every appearance that they could care less if they sell their country down the drain?

[MJY1288]

OK, I have spent the last two hours looking into this. A Nominee can be blocked by a particular Senator by way of "Personal Privilege", The Nominee must reside in the Senators home State. John Bolton was born in Baltimore, MD and has been a resident of Washington D.C. for many years. Therefore Barbara Boxer has no possible way to block his vote on the Senate Floor.

Since the District of Columbia has no representation in the Senate, The implementation of "Personal Privilege" is moot

[MJY1288]

I also looked into the rules of consideration, and as far as I can figure, once the nominee is scheduled for consideration in the proper Committee, a Senator has to invoke "Personal Privilege" before that nominee starts the "Consideration" process in the appropriate Committee by way of the scheduled hearing. Once the hearing starts, "Personal Privilege" is not an option.

As we speak, Leahy and Stabenow have blocked a nominee for the Judiciary through "Personal Privilege" and the Brit Hume's show Special Report said just tonight that the two Senators were blocking the nomination from the Committee hearing