Democrats Try To Block Kavanaugh Bid (President's nominee for D.C. circuit. A Hillary "hold"?)

NY Sun ^ | 12/30/05 | BRIAN McGUIRE

[frankjr]

With so much attention focused on Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito, President Bush’s lower-court nominees have drawn relatively little notice in recent months. But a quiet maneuver last week by Senate Democrats aimed at blocking one of the president’s closest advisers from the federal bench has set the stage for a potentially ferocious battle early next year.

Mr. Bush’s staff secretary and a former clerk to Justice Kennedy, Brett Kavanaugh, is one of six federal 2005 Circuit Court nominees nominated in who have yet to be voted on by the Senate. Mr. Kavanaugh is the only one whose nomination was bounced back to the White House under an arcane rule on Wednesday — and some Republicans think they know why.

A graduate of Yale Law School who clerked for two Circuit Court judges before clerking for Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Kavanaugh, 40, was also an associate counsel in the Office of the Independent Counsel during the 1998 impeachment hearing of President Clinton. He was a principal author of the Starr Report, a detailed account of Mr. Clinton’s affair with a White House intern, Monica Lewinsky.

Mr. Kavanaugh’s supporters in Washington say Mr. Clinton’s wife, Senator Clinton, is behind an effort to scuttle the former impeachment lawyer’s nomination to the federal Court of Appeals for the Washington, D.C., Circuit — a charge that Mrs. Clinton’s office denies.

...

[frankjr]

from Powerline:

"You've really got a hold on me

Hillary Clinton's office denies that Senator Clinton placed a hold on the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh, one of President Bush's choices for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. But someone did, and until that Senator steps forward, it's reasonable to suspect that Hillary is behind it, and that this is an act of retaliation for Kavanaugh's role in Ken Starr's investigation.

Meanwhile, as far as I can tell, the MSM continues to show no interest in the possibility that the leading contender for the Democratic nomination is seeking to punish Kavanaugh for fulfilling his duty to investigate her husband's misconduct and unlawful behavior. Instead it's the New York Sun that's providing the coverage.

Incidentally, and for what it's worth, although Kavanaugh helped write Starr's report to Congress, Bob Woodward has said that Kavanaugh advocated not including the long narrative filled with graphic detail about Monica Lewinsky's sexual encounters with President Clinton. Posted by Paul at 05:20 PM "

http://powerlineblog.com/archives/012689.php

[Dog Gone]

There's something very wrong with Congress if one senator can block a vote or nomination.

I don't even agree with the filibuster, but that requires 41 senators to obstruct.

This is just nonsense. We need a total rewrite of Senate rules. Demand it.

[frankjr]

"Demand it."

I'll do my best. Unfortunately, no one takes my calls.

[msnimje]

Especially when that one senator is too cowardly to step forward and admit they placed the hold. If they want to keep the one senator hold rule, maybe they should do away with the secrecy aspect of the practice.

[mewzilla]

The Senate has morphed into our very own House of Lords. I hope the Founding Fathers are spinning.

[Mr_Moonlight]

a charge that Mrs. Clinton’s office denies.

Waiting for Hillary's spokesman, Howard Wolfson, to pipe in on this with his usual standard robotic reply:

"While partisan Republican,(fill-in-the-blank), criticizes Senator Clinton, she is working hard to serve the people of New York"

[rcrngroup]

If they want to keep the one senator hold rule, maybe they should do away with the secrecy aspect of the practice.

Cowardly spineless B@ST@RD Republican senators would NEVER do anything like this for fear of offending the aggressive gutsy B@ST@RD DemonRATS. As much as I hate the DemonRATS, I would gladly trade their spines for those of the cowardly Republican senators.

[new yorker 77]

Throughout his career as an appellate lawyer, a prosecutor, and an Assistant to the President, Brett Kavanaugh has demonstrated legal excellence and the fair-minded temperament to serve as a federal appellate judge.

The American Bar Association (the Democrat's "gold-standard") rated Mr. Kavanaugh "Well Qualified" to serve on the DC Circuit.

Mr. Kavanaugh has an extraordinary range of experience in the public and private sectors that makes him uniquely qualified for the D.C. Circuit. He has dedicated the majority of his 15 years of practice to public service.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/judicialnominees/kavanaugh.html

[laconic]

For some reason, I thought we had a Republican majority in the Senate. You'd never know it.

[new yorker 77]

No, You have GOOBER.

[jazusamo]

How could anyone think that Hillie would hold up the nomination of a person who helped bring the failings of the Clinton's (plural) Administration to light. She probably doesn't remember him because she couldn't even remember what was said in the meeting with Billie, the two Rabbi's and herself. /Sarc

[Humidston]

What's the name of Barbara Olson's book....?

Oh yeah. "HELL TO PAY."

[upchuck]

Ping to reply 10. Great pix :)

[Christian4Bush]

For some reason, I thought we had a Republican majority in the Senate. You'd never know it.

We do have a Republican majority in the Senate. We do NOT have a CONSERVATIVE Republican majority in the Senate.

And with the way things are going now, that "majority" of Conservative Senators would have to be 60 or more (plus the usual designation of RINOs).

[genghis]

we better get these puppies confirmed now, because close to the electin and next year it will be impossible.

[doug from upland]

[sport]

"....set the stage for a potentially ferocious battle early next year...."

If the past is any indication of the future, it won't be the Republicans that are "ferociously battling "

Depending on a Republican to fight is like depending on a Frenchman to fight.

[eeriegeno]

This is just nonsense. We need a total rewrite of Senate rules. Demand it.

What? And upset the good-old-boys club? After all, they are all entitled to those jobs ya know and they are allowed to do anything that will get them re-elected. sarc/off.....

Show me where the founders intended that this country would be controlled by career politicians?????????

[Mr.Atos]

And so why aren't Republicans simply playing hardball... with the Barrett Report?

[Peach]

Ugh! It was too early in the morning for a picture of Goober. LOL

Happy New Year, upchuck!