Senate panel agrees to postpone vote on Texas jurist Owen
Posted on 08/01/2002 3:31:38 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP
Senate panel agrees to postpone vote on Texas jurist Owen
08/01/2002
WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee postponed a vote Wednesday on the nomination of Texan Priscilla Owen for a federal appeals court seat, pushing the judicial battle into September when Congress returns from its summer break.
The vote, set just a week after the Texas Supreme Court justice was grilled by Democrats during her confirmation hearing, was delayed at the request of the White House, said committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.
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Holding over a judicial nomination is not uncommon, and Leahy aides had said that it was likely that one side or the other would request a delay.
Groups advocating abortion rights, consumers, civil rights and women, are lobbying against Justice Owen's candidacy, saying she has compiled a staunchly pro-business, anti-abortion record during her seven years on Texas' highest civil court.
Conservative groups say she is a highly qualified jurist who is being smeared by liberals hostile to President Bush's nominees.
Justice Owen was peppered with written follow-up questions from Democratic senators in recent days, receiving 20 on Tuesday. She couldn't answer all of them before Wednesday's scheduled vote, her supporters said.
Republicans, who have accused Democratic senators of dragging their feet on Mr. Bush's judicial nominees, now are arguing that the committee is moving too fast on the Owen candidacy.
"After 439 days without a hearing, what is the drive for scheduling a sudden vote within a few hours of sending her complex follow-up questions she could not possibly complete?" said Assistant Attorney General Viet Dinh.
Backers and critics said the month delay would help their causes in the fiercely fought battle over Justice Owen's nomination to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which has jurisdiction over Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi.
"The president hopes that this will allow for her confirmation," said White House spokesman Ari Fleischer. "I can't give you any predictions, but the postponement does give the administration more time to talk to several of the individual Democratic senators who maybe have more of an open mind."
The president of the Alliance for Justice, a liberal group fighting the Owen nomination, said the delay will help opponents.
E-mail mmittelstadt@dallasnews.com
If we are able to put Republicans back in control of the Senate, Leahey gets regulated to the dustbin of history.
Several??? On the judiciary committee? Ari ... ever the diplomat.
If we are able to put Republicans back in control of the Senate, Leahey gets
regulated to the dustbin of history.
Yeah, tiny tommy da$$hole too ! 
What did he obstruct?
And when did he obstruct it?
Free the Daschle Fifty
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