Showdown over federal judges looming

[babylonsister]

Showdown over federal judges looming
Posted May 1, 2008 5:06 PM
The Swamp

by James Oliphant


Storm clouds continue to gather in the Senate over federal judges. Republicans, eager to fill some key appeals court vacancies with conservatives before the end of President Bush's term are stepping up the pressure on Patrick Leahy, the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Last month, Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) secured a pledge from Senate chief Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to send three circuit court nominees to the Senate floor for a vote by Memorial Day.

Ah, but which three nominees? That's the question.

McConnell and Sen. Arlen Specter, the ranking member of Judiciary, are pushing for two nominees for the Fourth Circuit: Robert Conrad and Steven Matthews and one for the D.C. Circuit, Peter Keisler.

But Leahy has shown no inclination those are the nominees he plans on bringing up before the committee. Instead, he appears to have zeroed on a pair of two Sixth Circuit nominees and a different Fourth Circuit choice.

What's at stake? In the Fourth Circuit, quite a bit. Five vacancies remain unfilled on the court based in Richmond, Va. It has long-been a conservative judicial power center, sporting the likes of J. Harvie Wilkinson III and J. Michael Luttig, who has since left for a job at Boeing Corp.

more...

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/05/showdown_looming_over_federal.html

[Preston120]

1. What do you think will happen if McCain gets elected?

Is it time to stop fighting among ourselves and go after the republicans?