Posted on 06/10/2005 7:14:16 PM PDT by Libloather
Senate deal is done: Three judges are confirmed
The Associated Press
June 10, 2005 6:01AM
WASHINGTON - The GOP-controlled Senate approved former Alabama Attorney General William Pryor and Michigan nominees David McKeague and Richard Griffin Thursday for seats on the U.S. Appeals Court, completing an unprecedented run of long-delayed judicial confirmations.
With a vote of 53-45, Pryor was approved for 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the Atlanta-based court that handles federal appeals from Alabama, Georgia and Florida. Griffin was confirmed 95-0 and McKeague 96-0, both for seats on the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati.
''These three nominees have waited a combined total of over eight years for their votes,'' President Bush said in a statement. ''I applaud the Senate for today giving these fine nominees the up-or-down votes they deserve.''
Bush gave Pryor a recess appointment in February 2004 after Democrats filibustered his confirmation. That appointment would have ended this year if Pryor had not been confirmed. Bush said Pryor's service on the 11th Circuit built on a judicial career in which he ''has applied the law fairly and impartially to all people.''
Pryor, 43, watched the vote over the Internet in his office in Birmingham, Ala. Aides brought out cake and champagne to celebrate.
''What a day,'' Pryor said. ''We even managed to get an opinion out.''
The Senate confirmed three of President Bush's most-wanted appellate nominees in less than three weeks after Senate centrists looking to avoid a partisan battle over judicial filibusters struck a deal.
Pryor, Janice Rogers Brown and Priscilla Owen all had been waiting at least two years for Senate confirmation. Democrats have blocked the nominations of judges they consider too conservative.
Democrats had blocked Griffin and McKeague because Michigan's senators were upset at Republicans for refusing to confirm President Clinton's nominees to that court. While the two were not part of the filibuster deal, Democrats decided to allow them through as a gesture of good will.
''I could not be more pleased and proud that Judge Bill Pryor was part of the group that were agreed upon by those members of the Senate to get an up-or-down vote,'' said Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., whose own nomination as a federal judge the Senate Judiciary Committee rejected in 1986. ''Bill Pryor is the kind of judge America ought to have.''
Democrats had fought to keep Pryor from getting a permanent judgeship. Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., sued to get Pryor removed because he felt Bush's recess appointment was illegal. The courts rejected Kennedy's argument. ''After the president didn't get his way with William Pryor, he took the truly extraordinary step of making a recess appointment,'' said Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. ''So while the renomination of rejected judges was a thumb in the eye, the recess appointment of Bill Pryor was a punch in the face.''
It takes 60 votes to bypass a filibuster. Republicans were able to get 53 votes for Pryor in July 2003 and 51 votes that November. On Wednesday the Senate voted 67-32 to end Pryor's filibuster.
The Senate also plans to advance the nomination of Terrence Boyle, a North Carolina judge nominated to the 4th Circuit in Richmond, Va., though a vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee was delayed.
Thanksgiving.
That would be the Republican party, just like every other paleo-populist.
If the government sued your company out of business for firing illegal aliens but your well paid savvy attorneys were able to salvage the company cars you drove as well as some office furniture, and possibly even part of the off site warehouse property, what kind of victory would that be?
LOL!!!!!!!!!!
You have not addressed anything directly, simply sit back and wait for comments, so I'm not going to push the "means as it as" to further.
Why do you think judicial activism should be supported simply because it's practiced by part of the "government club"? Why should foreign laws be used as a means of focus when making or writing judgment by the same "club"? Why do you think liberals can win at the ballot? Why do you think they fear Article 3 and the conservatives do not? Where is the "everyone" in the usurping?
how do you know at this point? the dems will filibuster the remaining nominees... i believe i can count on that...
Thank you for correcting me.
Tell that to the million babies aborted every year.
Fine. I will donate $50 to FR if Saad doesn't get confirmed by Thanksgiving. You will donate $50 to FR if he does get confirmed by Thanksgiving. Agreed?
We have gained a three judges that were "controversial", but two judges still remain filibustered, Saad and someone else. Bush's UN nominee, Bolton, is still filibustered.
And the first USSC nomination will be filibustered instantly if he/she is pro-life.
I am already a contributor to the National Right to Life Committee www.nrlc.org. My bet with econ_grad was for a contribution to Freerepublic. If you think FR is a phony conservative organization why do you post here. You are a newbie. Given the arogance of your posts to me, I am certain you will be banned long before Thanksgiving so I am declining your bet.
I am overjoyed that Bush's nominees are being confirmed. You are the one who seems upset by it. Have a nice day.
I'm glad that these 3 are confirmed. However, we now have the issue of the 2 who were agreed to be denied. I'm unsure of the exact language of the deal. Does it guarantee that the rino 7 will vote against these 2 or simply that the dino 7 are allowed to filibuster them?
Also, in the future the deal calls for a return to status quo....is that correct? Everyone is now free to filibuster, fight, nuke, whatever?
Have them Rats paid McCain his 30 pieces of silver yet?
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