Following yesterday’s 72-24 confirmation of Chris Schroeder to head the Office of Legal Policy, Marge Baker, Executive Vice President at People For the American Way, issued the following statement:

“The overwhelming confirmation vote puts a spotlight on the ongoing efforts by Senate Republican leaders to block the Obama administration at every turn. More importantly, it shows that Senate Democrats can successfully overcome Republican delay tactics by insisting on votes and highlighting obstruction.

“The case of Chris Schroeder is a poignant example of how the President’s nominees to key federal agencies and courts have been held up for months on end. Schroeder was nominated in May, 2009 to head the Office of Legal Policy. He is a distinguished legal academic who worked previously for both the Senate Judiciary Committee and Office of Legal Counsel. He enjoyed the support of a majority of Republicans on the Judiciary Committee. Yet his nomination languished throughout 2009, and he had to be renominated in January.

“Schroeder was overwhelmingly confirmed over the opposition of 24 Republican Senators. These same Senators demanded three hours of floor time to debate the nomination, but they didn’t even bother to use it. This is obstruction, pure and simple, and they didn’t even try to hide it.

“Senate Democrats appear poised to move ahead on other critical nominations in the coming days. It is critical that they continue to push ahead and break the Republican logjam on nominations. The very ability of the federal government to do its job and serve the American people is on the line.”

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