Posted on 01/16/2006 11:20:52 PM PST by msnimje
Senate Democrats have scrapped a "good-faith" agreement they made two months ago to allow the Judiciary Committee to vote today on the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Samuel A. Alito Jr.
"This is a new low in our confirmation process," said Sen. John Cornyn, Texas Republican. "Not only because it is virtually unprecedented, but also because it reflects a breach of trust."
According to Judiciary Committee rules, either party can stall a nomination in committee for only one week, meaning that Judge Alito's nomination will likely be approved by the panel during an executive committee meeting next Tuesday.
The entire Senate will take up the nomination no later than Jan. 25 and will remain on it until Judge Alito's nomination is voted up or down, said Eric Ueland, chief of staff for Majority Leader Bill Frist.
"Justice delayed will not be a justice denied, as Sam Alito will receive a fair up-or-down vote and join the Supreme Court before month's end," he said. "Any remaining threats to filibuster are just filibluster."
Although Democratic leaders have not ruled out an attempt to filibuster the nomination, such a maneuver seems increasingly unlikely.
~snip~
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
I thought Nelson was one, and Harris was running against him.
The Democrats are an enemy in retreat. They fell into the trap of fighting a battle on a field not of their choosing, and after a frontal assault on a well-prepared and defended fortress, they were routed.
They are now buying time: attempting to triage and save the politically wounded. They've got to determine who of their ilk absolutely has to vote against Alito, and who has to be allowed to support his nomination.
You know it doesn't matter, Howlin. If it HAD been in writing, they'd be parsing the words and say that wasn't binding either. Make a deal with a snake and you get lots of hissing and slithering because that's its inherent nature. Did the RINO 7 really expect them to act like honorable people?
The Democrat Senator from Florida is Nelson.
I was of the impression that the court was in recess until February.
Intersting that they chose the word "abort" to use in this headline. That is in essence what this is about. I canlive with a one week delay provided the Republicans pound the message that the Democrats cannot be trusted with something as simple as a gentlemans agreement.
During most of the Alito hearings, I had been too, and asserted the same thing. Then I looked it up to check my claim, and found out that the Court heard cases last week, and is hearing cases this week. The Court is on recess after that, until February 21.
http://www.supremecourtus.gov/.../monthlyargumentcaljanuary2006.pdf
http://www.supremecourtus.gov/.../monthlyargumentcalfebruary2006.pdf
What happens now with Frist's comment that he would keep the Senate in session to vote on Alito if the Dem's stall the committee past the 20th? I think I remember a thread about that from this past Saturday?
Frist can't schedule Senate floor events around the nomination until after it is voted out of Committee. Right now, we think that will be on the 24th.
Frist has said that he will make the Alito nomination the sole business of the Senate from the time it is voted out of Committee until it is voted up or down. There are a few possible procedural avenues upon the nomination being voted out of Committee, including a unanimous consent agreement from the DEMs to vote up or down without invoking a cloture motion.
what has sickened me about the whole confirmation process has been the sheer ponderous PREDICTABILITY of everything the Donks have said, postured, done.
Breach of trust?
Republican Senators have got to be the most naive bunch of doofuses I have ever seen.
Excellent. Here's hoping he keeps his promise. I guess we should prepare for the Dims whining that "Important business for the American people is being set aside due to Republican's efforts to install a neanderthal to the Supreme Court." They are disgusting.
Didn't the senile Specter allow them to add the one week delay to the START of the hearings, which were to start in December originally? I seem to recall that. If that's true, they got two delays, which is NOT in the Senate's arcane "rules". Specter is such a loser, and Bill Frist is no Senate leader. They both need to be replaced.
The Democratic senator from Florida is Bill Nelson.....but I hope not for long!!
"You f'd up, you trusted us." - Democrats.
Shocked! Shocked!..etc.
In other news, the sun rose this morning.
Filth.
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