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 ...
It is neither a REQUIREMENT or a PROCEDURE , it is “traditional” , it can be ignored as it has no official role in the process.
Don’t recall reading about a blue slip in the Constitution.
And that’s why Franken doesn’t want David Stras!!
THE most unfunny and ugly person in the history of mankind. McConnell comes in a close second though.
Of course it can be ignored, the question is will the squish Republicans ignore it. Anything beyond that is quibbling, at best.
Obama blew up all traditions, and yet Democrats still pressure Republicans into upholding all the so-called "traditions" that favor Democrats, especially since they know how dearly Mitch McConnell adores Senate traditions. "Traditions" have become a weapon that Democrats use against McConnell with effectiveness, because he is so predictable.
This must end now!
Liberals mocked Trump for saying he was "wiretapped" when we all knew that wires and tapping were a thing of the past. Is there really a "blue slip?" Can Franken produce one?
Ignore the blue slip as a thing that no longer serves a purpose in a post-filibuster Senate, and move the nominee to a vote. Explain that after moving from a 60-vote to 51-vote confirmation to eliminate the "tyranny of the minority," it makes no sense to let one person hold up the other 99.
-PJ
It’s a tradition we can use, too.
Nothing like an arcane rule that allows 1% to control the rest and thwart the President.
Trump should not choose a judge from Minnesota as they are all liberals and/or Muslim lovers. There are 7 states in the 8th Circuit and he should pick from a state with both Republican Senators. Here are the other states: North and South Dakota, Arkansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri
He is (God help us) the duly elected (OK, fraudulently elected) Senator from the Great State of Minnesota. He doesn't have to bow and grovel before the President. He works for, and is answerable to the State and People of Minnesota. You forget that Congress is not subordinate or subservient to the President. We have a Republic (or, at least, we used to) not a monarchy.
Trump - make your nominee as an emergency temporary appointment when Congress goes out of session, make it for an undetermined period pending the permanent appointment, AND keep his name as the nominee for the permanent appointment.
Had Hillary and the Demons won, the blue-slip would have been spit-canned.
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