Sri Srinivasan, Key Obama Judicial Nominee, Confirmed By Senate

[BlueCaliDem]

Source: Jennifer Bendery, Huffington Post

WASHINGTON -- The Senate on Thursday unanimously confirmed key Obama nominee Sri Srinivasan to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, a vote that comes amid tensions surrounding a potential Senate showdown on filibuster reform this summer.

The sweeping support for Srinivasan was no surprise -- he unanimously passed the Senate Judiciary Committee last week -- but the timing of the vote was. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has been demanding that Srinivasan's vote be delayed from this week until June 4, despite outcry from Democrats about the GOP purposely stalling Obama's nominees. McConnell's argument has been, as he said Wednesday in floor remarks, that senators not on the Judiciary Committee should "have a week to evaluate this important nomination."

But he unexpectedly backed off that demand on Thursday. Senate Democratic and GOP aides offered different reasons why.

"McConnell caved," declared one senior Democratic aide.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/23/sri-srinivasan_n_3325977.html

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Apparently, threatening a nuclear option has worked! Reid got McConnell to cave and now President Obama's choice for the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals will have Sri Srinivasan as their new judge - and we might potentially might have a new Justice for our U.S. Supreme Court.

Now, despite our differences among us, we need to support Democrats in 2014 as well as 2016 - especially 2016. It appears that Scalia and Kennedy are going to try and hold out for a Republican president so that the balance of power on our highest court remains with Corporate Republicans.

Well, we have more time than they do (they're both 80+ years old). This is why it's crucial we continue to put a Democratic president into the WH. Only the president can choose the next justice for our SCOTUS.

[CincyDem]

1. Now go get us some Goodwin Liu. Put him in a seat right next to Sri. n/t

[Cha]

2. This is Great, BlueCali! no matter the reason.. unheard of!

The vote is significant for several reasons. Srinivasan is the first D.C. Circuit nominee confirmed since 2006; Obama has been hoping to shift the conservative tilt of the court, which is poised to rule on several key elements of his second-term agenda in the months ahead.

With the vote, Srinivasan also becomes a front-runner to be nominated for a Supreme Court vacancy should one arise in the next three years. Four of the Supreme Court’s current nine justices served on the D.C. Circuit. Srinivasan will be the first circuit court judge of South Asian descent in history.

By agreeing to vote on Srinivasan’s nomination Thursday, rather than postponing it until early June, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell kept Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid from invoking the so-called “nuclear option,” which would allow filibusters to be broken by a simple majority vote.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/05/23/sri-srinivasan-to-get-confirmation-vote-thursday-afternoon/

thanks!