judicial nominations

President Obama Sends Judicial Nominations Back to the Senate

President Obama today renominated 42 judicial nominees whose confirmations were blocked by Senate Republicans last year.

GOP Senators Target Judicial Nominees of Color

To: Interested Parties
From: Marge Baker, People For the American Way
Re: GOP Senators Target Judicial Nominees of Color
Date: December 22, 2010

Republicans Stymie Progress on Judicial Nominations

According to media reports, Senate Republicans have agreed to confirm a total of 19 of the 38 judicial nominations pending on the Senate’s calendar at the beginning of the lame duck session in exchange for a commitment that Senate Democrats refrain from holding votes on four others.

Holding Judges Hostage

As the end of the 111th Congress approaches, 38 judicial nominees approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee are waiting for a vote on the Senate floor. Many of the nominees have been waiting for months, while a few have been waiting for almost a year.

Senate Judiciary Committee Moves Judges Forward, Full Senate Still Gripped by GOP Obstruction

The Senate Judiciary Committee today approved another 11 of President Obama’s judicial nominees, sending them to the full senate where they’ll join 23 others waiting for approval.

A Government That Works: Americans Want a Functioning Government

Pundits will spend months discussing and dissecting the results of our most recent elections. Whether the root cause of the results is the country’s economic situation, the flood of outside money or something else, one thing is clear: Americans are angry at gridlock and partisanship in Washington. They don’t want political squabbles and they don’t want more talking points: they want a government that works.

And a well functioning judicial branch is central to having such a government.

Senate GOP Blocks All Judicial Nominees as it Leaves for Recess

The Senate left for recess last night without confirming a single one of the 23 pending federal judicial nominees. 21 of these nominees have been waiting over five months for Senate votes, some for nearly a year. Seventeen were approved by the Judiciary Committee without opposition. Eleven have been nominated to fill vacancies designated “judicial emergencies.”

Marge Baker, Executive Vice President of People For the American Way, issued the following statement:

PFAW Calls for GOP Senators to Show Responsibility, Confirm Stalled Judicial Nominees

Republican Senators are looking to show that they have any interest in responsible governance before November’s election, this is the last week for them to show it.

Currently, 23 of President Obama’s judicial nominees are waiting for a vote by the full Senate. Nineteen of those nominations have been pending for more than five months, some for nearly a year. Eleven of those nominations are to fill vacancies designated “judicial emergencies.”

GOP Digs in on Judicial Obstruction in Judiciary Committee

Senate Republicans on the Judiciary Committee today blocked votes on eight judicial nominees, including five renominated by the White House after they failed to receive a vote on the Senate floor before the August recess.

Senate Confirms One Judicial Nominee, GOP Holds Up Many More

After relentless obstruction and dangerous politicking of the Senate GOP, the Senate today confirmed Jane Stranch to a seat on the Sixth Circuit Court of appeals.

GOP Obstruction Against Judges Reaches New Low

Last night, the Senate GOP refused to confirm numerous judicial nominees who have been waiting months for up-or-down votes, including several who were approved unanimously by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Elena Kagan Confirmed to the Supreme Court

In a historic step forward for all Americans, the Senate has approved the nomination of Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court by a vote of 63 to 37.

GOP Refuses to Vote on Jane Stranch Nomination, After Eight Months of Stalling

This afternoon, Sen. Patrick Leahy attempted to secure a floor vote on the nomination of Jane Branstetter Stranch of Tennessee to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked the vote, claiming that the GOP needed more time to consider her nomination.

President Obama nominated Stranch on August 6, 2009, with the support of both her home state senators. The Judiciary Committee approved her nomination with bipartisan support in November. She has been waiting for a confirmation vote since.

Republican Obstruction of Executive and Judicial Nominees

Despite being presented with qualified nominees, unquestionably within the ideological mainstream, Republican Senators have engaged in a calculated effort to slow the confirmation of President Obama's executive and judicial nominees.

Senators Highlight Mistreatment of Obama Nominees

Democratic Senators took to the floor to express their outrage over the unprecedented obstruction of President Obama’s executive and judicial nominees.

Vote Long Overdue on 3rd Circuit Court Nomination

Today, People For the American Way called on the U.S. Senate to confirm President Obama's nominee to the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals, Joseph Greenaway.

"Judge Greenaway is a competent, qualified, fair-minded nominee who should be confirmed for this position as soon as possible," said Marge Baker, Executive Vice President at People For the American Way. "He was approved unanimously by the Judiciary Committee. There's absolutely no reason to delay his confirmation to this post."

Hamilton Becomes Just Seventh Obama Nominee Confirmed to Federal Bench

In response to the successful confirmation of Judge David Hamilton to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, People For the American Way Executive Vice President Marge Baker said, "After months of concerted foot-dragging by Senate Republican leaders, Judge David Hamilton was finally confirmed."

Sessions' 'Extraordinary' Filibuster Falls Short Judge David Hamilton Advances

In response to the successful cloture vote on the nomination of Judge David Hamilton to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, People For the American Way Executive Vice President Marge Baker said, "After months of waiting, the path has finally been cleared for President Obama’s first judicial nominee Judge David Hamilton to join the Seventh Circuit."

President Obama to Announce First Judicial Nominee

According to media reports, President Obama will nominate David Hamilton, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, to a seat on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. People For the American Way President Kathryn Kolbert issued the following statement: "David Hamilton is an ideal choice for this seat. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a willingness to put principle ahead of politics and bring an open mind to every case. Judge Hamilton has shown a deep commitment to the rule of law and core constitutional principles of liberty, equality, and justice for all Americans.

Republicans Threaten to Block Obama's Judges

In a letter released yesterday, all 41 Senate Republicans threatened to filibuster President Obama's judicial nominees unless they were given veto power over judges from their states. "The Republicans are doing everything in their power to cement their reputation as the 'Party of No,'" said PFAW President Kathryn Kolbert. "Voters gave President Obama a mandate to appoint judges who understand that the Constitution and the laws provide for equal justice for all. Now, before a single nomination has been announced, Republicans are threatening to block every single one of Obama's nominees. That's chutzpah."

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