McConnell Keeps His Promise

Despite the cynics who doubted there would be any real repercussion made in response to Harry Reid's broken promise to confirm three federal circuit judges by Memorial Day, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell proved that he is a man of his word. Leading the chorus of Senate Republicans, McConnell stalled the Climate Change Bill on the Senate floor on Wednesday; objecting to Reid's motion to dispense with the reading of the 540-page Bill. McConnell continued to deliver this morning, bringing a successful vote to filibuster the Lieberman-Warner Climate Securities Act (S. 3036) by a vote of 48 to 36 (60 votes for cloture is necessary to limit debate).

Senator Specter reaffirms his commitment to bring a Senate vote on the pending confirmations.

Senator Cornyn vows to hold the Democratic majority accountable until there is a vote on the pending nominees.

Senator McConnell cautions Democrats that his procedural tactics will not cease until they make good on their promise to address the pressing issue of judicial confirmations.

Professor Jonathan Adler of Case Western University Law School, writes:

The Senate has confirmed President Bush's appellate judicial nominees at an amazingly slow rate ... While I do not expect Republican Senators to filibuster or otherwise obstruct a President Obama's nominees — and I will not support such efforts — such tactics appear increasingly likely. This is unfortunate. What we need at this point is not more nominations conflict, but a gradual de-politicization of the nomination process so that Presidents of either party can select the most qualified nominees who share their jurisprudential vision. I believe the Senate should have rapidly confirmed President Bush's nominees, and I hope (even if in vain) that the Senate will do the same for President Obama or McCain.

The unparalleled delaying of judicial confirmations is not only contributing to further politicization of the most non political branch of our government, but causing a breakdown of bipartisan cooperation which leads only to a waste of taxpayer dollars.