Senator seeks to streamline approval of judges
Posted on 01/23/2003 8:46:21 PM PST by MeekOneGOP
Senator seeks to streamline approval of judges
Democrats expected to fight Hatch's plan to speed Bush nominees
01/24/2003
WASHINGTON - With Republicans in charge and President Bush calling for quick action on his judicial choices, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch said he plans to make it harder for Democratic senators to block home-state nominees for federal judgeships.
At issue is the "blue slip" tradition, referring to blue-colored approval papers that senators are asked to submit on nominees to fill vacant federal judgeships in their states.
For the last few years, both home-state senators had to submit a positive blue slip for a nominee to be considered by the Judiciary Committee.
But Republicans now fear that Democratic senators, who come from 31 states, will use negative blue slips to block Bush nominees.
Under Mr. Hatch's plan, a single negative blue slip from a senator won't be enough to stop a Bush nominee, a policy that former Democratic Judiciary Chairmen Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts and Joseph Biden of Delaware followed as well.
"I'll give great weight to negative blue slips, but you can't have one senator holding up" nominees to appellate courts, said Mr. Hatch, R-Utah.
Democrats are expected to fight Mr. Hatch's proposal, which would limit them to filibusters if they want to block Bush nominees.
Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, the committee's top Democrat, said Mr. Hatch was changing his own precedent.
"During the Clinton administration, he would not allow a nomination to move forward unless he had both [positive] blue slips," Mr. Leahy said.
"To do differently during the Bush administration would be inconsistent."
In 2001, when Mr. Bush took office, Mr. Hatch proposed changing the requirement for a nomination to move to one positive slip, infuriating Democrats.
Republicans are trying to move fast on Mr. Bush's nominees, scheduling votes and confirmation hearings for at least three Appeals Court nominees in the next two weeks.
The first one expected to get a vote is Miguel Estrada, nominated for a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, which has often been a steppingstone to a Supreme Court appointment.
Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, the committee's top Democrat, said Mr. Hatch was changing his own precedent.
"During the Clinton administration, he would not allow a nomination to move forward unless he had both [positive] blue slips," Mr. Leahy said.
"To do differently during the Bush administration would be inconsistent."
Get a rope !
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