Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Senate rejects Obama nominee who defended convicted cop killer
The Hill ^ | March 5, 2014 | Ramsey Cox

Posted on 03/05/2014 9:45:27 AM PST by jazusamo

The Senate voted 47-52 Wednesday to reject controversial nominee Debo Adegbile as an assistant attorney general.

Seven Democrats voted against moving forward with President Obama’s nomination of Adegbile, which the Fraternal Order of Police and other groups opposed because of his involvement in the defense of Mumia Abu-Jamal, who was convicted of killing a Philadelphia police officer in 1981.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) then switched his vote from yes to no in a move that allows him to bring the nomination up again for a future vote.

Every Republican also voted against the nomination, sending it to defeat. It's the first time a nomination has gone down since Democrats changed the Senate's filibuster rules so that only bare-majority votes are needed on procedural motions.

Vice President Biden presided over the vote and would have been available to break a time, but his vote was not needed.

Along with Reid, the Democratic votes against Adegbile were Sens. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Mark Pryor (Ark.), Joe Donnelly (Ind.), John Walsh (Mont.), Chris Coons (Del.) and Bob Casey (Pa.). Several other Democrats in tough races voted in favor of the nomination. Sens. Kay Hagan (N.C.), Mary Landrieu (La.) and Mark Begich (Alaska) are all seen as vulnerable in this year's midterms, but all three voted in favor of moving the nomination forward.

Adegbile was the director of litigation for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Legal Defense Fund (LDF) when it defended Abu-Jamal in an appeals case.

Since the murder of Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner, Abu-Jamal has become a cause célèbre and a political lightning rod who has successfully petitioned to throw out his death sentence.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Adegbile’s nomination was a “thumb in the eye of our law enforcement officers.”

“The nominee inserted his office in an effort to turn reality on its head, impugn honorable and selfless law enforcement officers, and glorify an unrepentant cop-killer,” McConnell said. “This is not required by our legal system. On the contrary, it is noxious to it.”

Adegbile said he was only doing his job when leading the LDF and that everyone deserves a fair defense in the U.S. court system. Civil rights groups for years have said Abu-Jamal was the victim of a racist criminal justice system.

Reid argued that Adegbile was being prosecuted for guilt by association since he didn’t actively defend Abu-Jamal.

“The nominee didn’t step into one court room on behalf of the murderer,” he said.

Reid said Republicans have “distorted this good man’s name” to stop him from working on voting rights issues in the civil rights division of the Justice Department. Reid said that's because Republicans don't want poor people to vote.

Reid and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) brought up the fact that Republicans supported Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts's nomination despite his representation of a murderer who killed eight people including a teenager.


TOPICS: Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; US: Nevada
KEYWORDS: adegbile; deboadegbile; doj; frymumia; harryreid; mumiaabujamal; nevada; reid; rejected
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-77 next last
To: from occupied ga
NAACP Lawyer: ‘Absolutely My Honor to Represent Mumia Abu Jamal’
21 posted on 03/05/2014 10:04:08 AM PST by jazusamo ([Obama] A Truly Great Phony -- Thomas Sowell http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3058949/posts)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: jazusamo
I am astonished at Casey's (D-PA) vote.

But then again, I think he's up for re-election this year.

22 posted on 03/05/2014 10:04:48 AM PST by FroggyTheGremlim ("It is not the color of his skin, ... it is the blackness that fills his soul")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: onyx

Amen, me too.


23 posted on 03/05/2014 10:05:16 AM PST by jazusamo ([Obama] A Truly Great Phony -- Thomas Sowell http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3058949/posts)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: driftdiver

Nope, Reid gargles with a spermicidal mouthwash.


24 posted on 03/05/2014 10:05:20 AM PST by Holdem Or Foldem (Life isn't fair, so wear a cup.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: ImJustAnotherOkie
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) then switched his vote from yes to no in a move that allows him to bring the nomination up again for a future vote.

And, thus, Reid confirms again that he is a turd bird so low that to him earthworm crap looks like stardust.

25 posted on 03/05/2014 10:05:22 AM PST by Vigilanteman (Obama: Fake black man. Fake Messiah. Fake American. How many fakes can you fit in one Zer0?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: jazusamo

Plus the teen who sued her parents because she moved out got the thumbs down. That’s 3 bits of good news in as many days!


26 posted on 03/05/2014 10:06:30 AM PST by JudyinCanada
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jazusamo; FReepers

Rejected by the US Senate!
Get lost, Debo Adegbile!
Go find another cop killer to defend.

27 posted on 03/05/2014 10:06:47 AM PST by onyx (Please Support Free Republic - Donate Monthly! If you want on Sarah Palin's Ping List, Let Me know!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: eCSMaster

No. He was safely re-elected in 2012. I think it is just the leftover outrage here in the Commonwealth over a POS cop-killed being promoted to some kind of hero. That’s too much for even the soccer moms in Suburban Philly.


28 posted on 03/05/2014 10:07:30 AM PST by Vigilanteman (Obama: Fake black man. Fake Messiah. Fake American. How many fakes can you fit in one Zer0?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: eCSMaster

Casey is not up until 2018.

The cop was killed in Philly. This is a home-state, high impact issue for Casey. He was smart on this.


29 posted on 03/05/2014 10:08:41 AM PST by mwl8787
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: JudyinCanada

Absolutely, it’s great to get some goods news for a change.


30 posted on 03/05/2014 10:08:54 AM PST by jazusamo ([Obama] A Truly Great Phony -- Thomas Sowell http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3058949/posts)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: mwl8787
Chris Coons played this very smart.

I don't think so. It is the locality of the issue. Wilmington is basically a suburb of Philadelphia. See my post #28.

31 posted on 03/05/2014 10:09:09 AM PST by Vigilanteman (Obama: Fake black man. Fake Messiah. Fake American. How many fakes can you fit in one Zer0?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Rusty0604

Reid. Once again, the ultimate pantywaist.


32 posted on 03/05/2014 10:10:11 AM PST by Jane Long (While Marxists continue the fundamental transformation of the USA, progressive RINOs assist!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: jazusamo

First Day of Lent, too.
Praise God!


33 posted on 03/05/2014 10:10:20 AM PST by onyx (Please Support Free Republic - Donate Monthly! If you want on Sarah Palin's Ping List, Let Me know!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: Vigilanteman

Yes, Coons played it smart b/c Delaware voters are watching Philadelphia news.


34 posted on 03/05/2014 10:16:21 AM PST by mwl8787
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: jazusamo; All

Most important line of the story........”Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) then switched his vote from yes to no in a move that allows him to bring the nomination up again for a future vote”

Heads up warning - his vote will be coming up again!


35 posted on 03/05/2014 10:16:35 AM PST by blueyon (The U. S. Constitution - read it and weep)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jazusamo
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) then switched his vote from yes to no in a move that allows him to bring the nomination up again for a future vote.

What this means is after the elections, most of those 7 democrats will change their vote to yes.

36 posted on 03/05/2014 10:18:46 AM PST by Starstruck (If my reply offends, you probably don't understand sarcasm or criticism...or do.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: mwl8787
Yes, Coons played it smart b/c Delaware voters are watching Philadelphia news.

I was wondering how that little weasel voted.

37 posted on 03/05/2014 10:23:17 AM PST by exit82 ("The Taliban is on the inside of the building" E. Nordstrom 10-10-12)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: exit82

He WILL be appointed during a Senate Recession by OBAMA


38 posted on 03/05/2014 10:25:23 AM PST by scooby321
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: jazusamo

Cruz draws more blood!


39 posted on 03/05/2014 10:27:58 AM PST by cotton1706
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Army Air Corps

It’s the best news I’ve heard today.


40 posted on 03/05/2014 10:30:16 AM PST by gigster (Cogito, Ergo, Ronaldus Magnus Conservatus)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-77 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson