Posted on 01/16/2006 7:49:10 PM PST by Aussie Dasher
OPPOSITION Democrats have gained a one-week delay for a key Senate panel's vote on President George W. Bush's Supreme Court nominee, Samuel Alito.
Senator Patrick Leahy, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said the panel's Republican chairman, Senator Arlen Specter, had agree to hold the vote on January 24 instead of today (local time).
"I have assured Chairman Specter that no Democratic Senator will hold the matter over on January 24," Senator Leahy said. "He does not anticipate that any Republican Senator will seek to hold it over at that time."
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a Tennessee Republican, blasted the Democrats' move as "unjustified and desperate partisan obstructionism".
"After answering 700 questions for over 18 hours before the committee last week and enduring relentless personal attacks, Judge Alito deserves better," Senator Frist said.
But he predicted that Judge Alito was "on track" to win confirmation in the full Senate, where Republicans hold 55 of 100 seats. His nomination must first be endorsed by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Senator Frist vowed to schedule a Senate debate the day after the judge was endorsed by the judiciary committee and "move swiftly to a fair up-or-down vote."
"A Justice delayed will not be a Justice denied," Senator Frist said.
During committee hearings last week, Democrats, concerned that Mr Bush's high court pick was too conservative for their taste, grilled Judge Alito about abortion rights, limits on presidential powers and civil rights.
State of the Union isn't until the 30th, correct? Democrats are trying their hardest to make sure Alito isn't sitting in that front row...
yeah, but the next SCOTUS doesn't sit until february, so I'm ok with it. Let them play their games.
The citizens have good memories whne it comes to these things, and they will remember next November his wife crying because of that fat lard killer drunk kennedy an dhis minions on that panel.
And, that is why they are praying desperately for a State Funeral before then...for President Ford.
Specter lets Democrats get their way again, should have said this was already put back a week until Jan 17th, screw you guys.
Is Ford that bad off?
Frist's word means no more than Leahy's, though for different reasons. It's all just Senate BS.
Dasher,
Do y'all have anybody as spineless as Frist and as back stabbing as Specter down under?
Those two idiots have cost us way too much.
In all honesty, I think they'd rather attend the current President's funeral.
31st.
Plenty as spineless, hard to think of anyone as backstabbing, though.
For a party that goes by the name "Democrats" they sure as hell hate votes. They don't want a vote in the committee and they don't want a vote in the full senate. They want to talk and harangue and accuse and smear, but the one thing they don't want to happen is any kind of voting.
They'll do whatever they can to impede the vote, delay the vote or stop the vote. And they call themselves "Democrats".
The Democrats have a right under Senate rules to do this. It has nothing to do with Specter. Specter gets it wrong a lot, but this is not one of those things. Perhaps actually knowing what you are talking about before attacking would be cause you less embarrassment in the future. Specter has already said the Democrats broke their agreement - but it doesn't change the fact the rules allow the Dems to do this.
That's actually not true. All they have to do is take a vote and make a recommendation.
"....I have assured Chairman Specter that no Democratic Senator will hold the matter over on January 24," Senator Leahy said. "He does not anticipate that any Republican Senator will seek to hold it over at that time......"
Bullshit! Since when is a Democrat's word worth anything. It will be this, it will be that, and the other. Delay, delay, and delay some more is the Democrat's stragety in hopes they can delay the vote until after the November elections.
OH FUDGE!! The F'ers caved again...SOB's!! I'm sick of them!
He is 92...hospitalized with pneumonia...
I don't know...but, I do know that when Sharon had this last stroke, the dems even mentioned that the hearings would be delayed if Sharon died...
so we know they think of all contingencies to stall things that Bush wants.
Regardless of what you might think of Senator Frist (and I will admit there was a time that he was near the top of my 2008 GOP Prez nomination list -- what was I thinking?), that's a pretty neat turn of a phrase.
With respect to the delay itself, no big deal. There will be no filibuster. The Dems save a bit of face by demonstrating to their leftmost base that they made the nominee sweat it out. Pitiful if you think about it, but no big deal.
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