Democrats Plan Votes on Controversial Nominees, Senator Says

[kpete]

Source: Legal Times

Democrats Plan Votes on Controversial Nominees, Senator Says

President Barack Obama's nominees for the federal judiciary have stalled for months in part because of heated disagreement over a handful of nominees. Now, Senate Democrats are looking at forcing votes on four of them.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) said today that Democrats could move soon to end debate on the nominees. He said that Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) was lining up support this morning for what’s known as a cloture petition — the necessary paperwork before holding a vote to end debate.

“He’s lining up the signatures,” Whitehouse said after a meeting of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Such a petition requires 16 signatures.

Whitehouse is a vocal supporter of one of the nominees who have drawn fire: John McConnell Jr., a Motley Rice partner who’s been nominated for federal district court in Rhode Island. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is opposing McConnell’s nomination, citing his work as a plaintiffs’ lawyer on lead paint litigation and other cases.



Read more: http://legaltimes.typepad.com/blt/2010/11/democrats-plan-votes-on-controversial-nominees-senator-says.html

[Divernan]

1. Opposition by the Chamber of Commerce! That's a ringing endorsement to me!

nt

[JudyM]

2. Get every damned judge in there that you can, Reid, Light a fire under it. nt