Posted on 09/05/2017 4:46:40 PM PDT by jazusamo
Sen. Al Franken said Tuesday that he will use an arcane Senate tradition to try to derail one of President Trump’s appeals court nominees, marking an escalation in what has become a nasty fight over the shape of the federal judiciary.
Mr. Franken said he won’t return his “blue slip” for Minnesota Supreme Court Justice David Stras, Mr. Trump’s nominee for the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Under Senate tradition, the chamber won’t proceed on a judicial nominee unless both home-state senators return their blue slips, signifying acquiescence in the pick.
Left with little power to filibuster, the blue slip has become the most effective tool Democrats have to obstruct Mr. Trump’s court nominees.
Mr. Franken said he is objecting because Judge Stras looks to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and the late Justice Antonin Scalia as role models.
“I am concerned that a nominee nurtured by such an ideology would likely seek to impose it on the litigants before him,” Mr. Franken said in a press release announcing his decision.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Who the Hell is this rat b*stard to challenge our President!?
Stuart Smiley at it again. He should have stuck to his unfunny SNL skits.
going a bit beyond advise and consent isnt he?
Oh wait, its Franken we’re talking about isn’t?
Silly me!
Weren’t we told early in O’ahole’s presidency that “he won, so he gets to nominate who he wants”? It feels like a million years ago.
Why are we fricking around with the filibuster. END THE DAMNED FILIBUSTER BEFORE THEY DO!! WE WON THE ELECTION!!
I wonder if this ‘blue slip’ procedure is one that McConnell can change.
Time for the “blue slip” requirement to be abolished!
So McCain isn’t the only Franken in the U.S. Senate.
(idiot)
Looks like another Senate tradition needs to go by the wayside.
The Judiciary Committee Chairman can end it.
He is a pathetic clown. Just have the guy move to a red state!@!!!!!! Do it now!!
It’s not Franken that’s the problem. It’s rules of the Senate. Well Franken is a problem of course, just not in the way you are telling it. A simple majority vote, with no effing rules on this or that to block said vote is what is needed. Voila, nominees get confirmed, or not. But at least they get a vote. Ofc the republicans would need to find their testes to change the rules. Maybe Trump can show them the way.
Republicans always have an excuses. Even with both chambers and the presidency, they have excuses. They are near worthless.
Excellent! Let’s see if they have what it takes.
Says “Senate Tradition”....Let’s see how far this tradition cr** goes.
Congress is run by the uniparty, that is why.
Waiting for Harry Reid, Pelosi and Obama to come out now and decry all the senate obstructionism and divisiveness.
Oh wait...
Yep, it’s the blue-slip rule and can be changed by a simple majority Senate vote.
“Blue-slip” is unconstitutional.
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