Posted on 09/21/2006 4:46:11 PM PDT by SmithL
WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee approved an Idaho judge Thursday for a seat on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, but Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., vowed to block full Senate action.
The 10-8 party line vote came after Feinstein stormed out of the committee room to try to deny a quorum to approve the nomination of 6th District Judge Randy Smith. Feinstein wants the judgeship to go to a California judge.
"This is the only way ... to give me leverage with the White House. We cannot lose another judge for California. Holding this judge in committee would send that message loudly and clearly and indicate that I have some support," Feinstein said.
"If I have to filibuster this judge I will do so," she said.
Smith's nomination had also been approved by the committee in May, but he had to be renominated by the White House after the Senate recessed in August without acting on the nomination.
Prospects for full Senate action are uncertain.
Bush nominated Smith to replace Judge Stephen Trott, who moved to Idaho from California after his appointment to the court in 1988. Trott took senior status in December 2004, meaning he will take a much lightened caseload. Since then, Idaho has not had an active judge on the court.
Traditionally, judgeships remain in the same state but Feinstein says that if Smith is confirmed California will have only 13 of the circuit's 28 judgeships despite having more than two-thirds of the cases.
Nice to see Dems admitting the value of states' rights, unconsciously.
Imagine that. Only having 13 of 28 judges. The horror of it all.
Thank you Democrats for finding new ways every day to show the American Voters why you cannot be trusted with any political power.
A splendid example of the maturity of the senior senator from Calif.
What a fool.
Bring it on, DiFi. Just before elections would be a great time to go Constitutional on your ass.
Well..if DiFi decides to fillibuster this nomination..that makes the Gang of 14 truce null and void in my opinion...
This would leave the wingnuts with their own court, and it would continue to be over-turned at an exponential rate by the USSC, as it has been in the past.
The Dems answer to judicial nominations, filibuster.
Now you're talking:)
This will be a good test of "The Gang's" willingness to stop filibusters of judical nominees. Without them, Feinstein will be stopped by cloture.
However, a pile of donkey dung could also make the same claim.
Didnt the Dems promise not to filibuster Judges anymore? I know...I know....never trust a Dem to keep his/her word.
Since when does a senator get to pick the nominees for judgeships? Swinestein should just STFU. I wish the people of CA would wake up and vote her sorry ass out of there.
I sent DiFi an e-mail congratulating her on her good work in showing why the dems can't be trusted with ANYTHING, and also for showing why California is always the odd man out: 9th Circus opinions are routinely overturned by the US Supreme Court and it's in large part because of the overwhelming presence of the whacko loonies from California on the 9th Circus bench. Way to go, DiFi! Sometimes you feel like a nut, and sometimes you ARE ONE.
Its all about her, isn't it.
Nice catch.
Circling the wagons around a corrupt, liberal and biased court system. It doesn't matter what the law says as much a the judge's interpretation of the law.
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