Bu$h installs Pryor Bypassing Senate

[rusty charly]

Bush Installs Judge by Bypassing Senate  
 
February 20, 2004 03:32 PM EST  
 
how does he get to do this???!!!??

WASHINGTON - Bypassing Senate Democrats who have stalled his judicial nominations, President Bush installed Alabama Attorney General William Pryor on the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday.

Bush praised Pryor as "this leading American lawyer" and complained that the Senate had unfairly blocked him and other White House nominees.

"A minority of Democratic senators has been using unprecedented obstructionist tactics to prevent him and other qualified nominees from receiving up-or-down votes," Bush said. "Their tactics are inconsistent with the Senate's constitutional responsibility and are hurting our judicial system."

Pryor was immediately sworn in in Alabama.

 

 

[xchrom]

1. daschle will think that's just peachy

[HawkerHurricane]

2. Remember this!

When Republican Senators refused to allow a vote on Clinton's appointees, it was 'doing their job to keep extremists off the bench'.
When Democratic Senators use filibusters to prevent Bush's extremists off the bench, they are 'obstructing justice'.
When Clinton used off session appointments to fill judgeships that were empty too long, he was 'bypassing the proper process'.
When Bush uses off session appointments to fill judgeships, he's 'expediting the process'.

Republicans: Masters of the Double Standard.

[Columbia]

4. Hmm...

I don't think either party is immune from double standards and hypocrisy. But that's just my own jaundiced, cynical point of view.

[DavidMS]

5. Republicans

are far better at whorish hiprocracy.

[Columbia]

6. Perhaps

To be honest, I don't trust any politician.

[demsrule4life]

7. Exactly how I feel when it comes to guns.

[skippythwndrdog]

10. I must agree

I don't think we're safe from either side of the aisle if they (any congressman or senator) decides it's politically expedient to abridge any of our rights.

[Frodo_Baggins]

11. Bingo!

Here's your cookie!

[DonP]

3. FWIW, Clinton did one or two recess appointments too.

This isn't something B invented, it's one of those loopholes the executive branch uses once in a while.

The appointment is valid until the end of the next session of congress if I recall. The original premise was to allow the President (back in horse and buggy days) to make what he considered a key "temporary" appointment, even if the members of Congress could not convene in a timely manner.

That would put them in until Spring of 2005.

My hunch is it's an example of B showing off to his conservative base and proving he won't be pushed around on appointments.

[jhfenton]

8. Conservative Base

My hunch is it's an example of B showing off to his conservative base and proving he won't be pushed around on appointments.

You're right. Bush is showing off for his conservative base. And he would probably have made more than two recess appointsments, but many of the potential judges reportedly weren't interested in recess apointments.

[reddouglasfir]

9. Pandering to the right wingers

Well a Dem can do recess appointments too so I don't want to take that power away.

[Frodo_Baggins]

12. Excess power is bad whoever has it.

Is there wide possibility for abuse in this one? How is it limited?

[jhfenton]

13. Limitations

The appointments are only valid until the end of the current session of Congress. The real, lifetime appointments must still go through the Senate.