Posted on 09/08/2004 10:32:42 AM PDT by pogo101
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Despite the objections of Democratic senators, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing Wednesday for Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Susan Bieke Neilson, the last of four Michigan judges President Bush has nominated to a federal appeals court.
Senate Judiciary Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said Neilson is an "outstanding candidate" with the highest rating from the American Bar Association. But her chances of getting approval from the full Senate are uncertain unless Hatch reaches an agreement with Michigan's Democratic Sens. Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow.
"I think it's a shame we're in this mess because Michigan suffers," Hatch said.
Levin and Stabenow helped prevent Senate votes on Bush's three other nominees to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in July. They object to the Bush nominees because Republicans blocked two of President Clinton's nominees from Michigan, including one who waited four years for a hearing.
Levin and Stabenow were scheduled to testify Wednesday but didn't come to the hearing for Neilson. Instead, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., the ranking Democrat on the committee, chastised Hatch for breaking an unspoken Senate rule by holding hearings in the weeks between Labor Day and the Nov. 2 election.
"This is not the time to press ahead with another nomination to the 6th Circuit without resolving this impasse," Leahy said.
Hatch said he met Tuesday with Michigan's senators and offered to add two seats to the federal court system -- one at the district court level and one at the appeals court level -- and fill them with Clinton's nominees. In exchange, the senators would have to allow votes on Bush's four nominees to the 6th Circuit Court and two nominees to a federal district court.
Hatch said Levin and Stabenow turned down the deal because they didn't want to allow a vote on Michigan Court of Appeals Judge Henry Saad, one of Bush's four nominees to the 6th Circuit Court. Levin and Stabenow have expressed concerns about Saad's temperament. Neither Levin nor Stabenow was immediately available to comment Wednesday.
The Cincinnati-based 6th Circuit Court hears cases from Kentucky, Tennessee, Michigan and Ohio.
Your thoughts on whether Neilson will be brought to a floor vote at all? And if so, whether there'll be a filibuster?
*L* Fair enough: you're the Michigander, not I!
Moderator: Please delete or lock this thread as a 40-seconds-too-late duplicate. Thx.
So far, Bill Frist has not held the Democrats feet to the fire, and forced them to stay on the floor and conduct an actual filibuster. He has also not attempted the "nuclear option," which would destroy the application of the filibuster rule to judicial nominations. This can be done, but it is ESSENTIAL to have the majority votes to enforce that, lined up for sure, in advance.
Congressman Billybob
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