Republicans today used procedural tactics to block an up-or-down vote on the nomination of Goodwin Liu, President Obama’s nominee to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

“Today’s vote is an outrage for anyone who values intelligence, character and judgment on the bench,” said Marge Baker of People For the American Way. “There’s absolutely no question that Goodwin Liu possesses those qualities, but that wasn’t enough to overcome the petty partisanship that has become the standard operating procedure for Senate Republicans.

“Just a few years ago, many GOP senators claimed that filibusters of judicial nominees were inappropriate and even unconstitutional. But in Mitch McConnell’s Senate, principles take a back seat to partisanship. In voting to block a vote on a qualified, thoroughly mainstream nominee, Republicans in the Senate have shown that they put politics above all else. They’ve taken their campaign of obstruction to a whole new level.

“Goodwin Liu deserves an up-or-down vote, and we will continue to press for his confirmation.”

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