This Is Definitely Not The Picture Senator Leahy Wanted To See Today

[ProSense]

This Is Definitely Not The Picture Senator Leahy Wanted To See Today

By Ian Millhiser

“(I)t might surprise you that one senator, surprisingly a blue state Democrat with a 100 percent rating from NARAL and Planned Parenthood, now stands in the way confirming pro-choice, pro-civil rights nominees from states like Georgia that have anti-choice Senator willing to abuse senate rules.”

That’s the message that Credo Action, a liberal group claiming 3.4 million members, just delivered in an email campaign targeting Senate Judiciary Chair Patrick Leahy (D-VT). As the email lays out, Leahy has thus far refused to abandon a relic of a largely dismantled patronage system known as the “blue slip,” which allows a single senator to effectively veto anyone nominated to a federal judgeship in their state.

Indeed, Leahy has honored the blue slip tradition despite the fact that one of his predecessors, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), largely abandoned it when Hatch was Judiciary Chair and President George W. Bush was in the White House.

Georgia’s two Republican Senators, Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson, wielded the blue slip to pressure the White House into a lopsided deal that includes four judges chosen by the Republican lawmakers and only two selected by President Obama. One of these nominees, Judge Michael Boggs, is now under fire from Credo and numerous other progressive organizations. As a state lawmaker, Boggs supported a “Choice Life” license plate that helped fund anti-abortion groups and a law requiring parents to accompany their daughters under the age of 18 to abortion clinics. He also opposed marriage equality, explaining that he cast this vote because “whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican, we have seldom had an opportunity to stand up for things that are common-sensical, things that stand up for Christian values.”

On Thursday, 27 progressive groups, including NARAL Pro-Choice America, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, MoveOn.org Civic Action and the Human Rights Campaign, sent a letter to Democratic senators on the Judiciary Committee urging them to “oppose the confirmation of Michael Boggs to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.” Nevertheless, Credo’s email going after Leahy represents a significant escalation in tactics. “We’re disappointed that President Obama caved and nominated Michael Boggs,” Credo’s email reads. “But when you take a deeper look at the nomination it’s clear that the responsibility for this anti-choice, anti-civil rights judge being on the verge of securing a lifetime appointment belongs to Sen. Patrick Leahy.”

- more -

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/02/21/3320171/picture-senator-leahy-wanted-today/

Petition:

Senator Leahy: Stop allowing Republican senators to blackball pro-choice judges
http://act.credoaction.com/sign/blueslips?source=gc

[Tx4obama]

1. BEFORE jumping on Leahy ---- Related article that should be read by all, below

Nuclear 2.0: Filibuster Reformers Crave More Senate Rules Changes

February 17, 2014

Three months after Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) triggered the so-called nuclear option to kill the filibuster for most presidential nominations, the Senate remains in a logjam. And the liberal activists who incubated filibuster reform are pushing Democrats to capitalize on that victory and further weaken the minority party's ability to obstruct.

Next on the wish-list of the Fix The Senate Now coalition: scrapping mandatory delays for confirming judges and requiring a "talking filibuster" for senators seeking to block nominations or legislation. They also want Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) to nix a courtesy -- called the "blue slip" -- that lets senators single-handedly block a home state judicial nominee from coming up in committee.

"Further reforms are absolutely under consideration among both rank and file and leadership," a top aide to Reid told TPM.

The new normal is that 41 senators can no longer scuttle non-Supreme Court nominations. Democrats have since confirmed several top presidential appointees and three judges to the powerful D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals without having to negotiate with Republicans. But the Senate minority retains the ability to force time delays before judicial nominees can receive votes, and it has been using that power to significant effect.

-snip-

Full article here: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/filibuster-reformers-crave-nuclear-action-harry-reid

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251354020

[ProSense]

2. "Jumping on Leahy" isn't required. Please sign the petition to get rid of this rule. n/t

[Tx4obama]

3. Leahy ALREADY hinted in November 2013 that if the GOP abuses blue slips he could consider...

... changing the policy.

November 2013

-snip-

The blue slip is not a formal Senate rule and can be ignored. Over time, some committee chairs have adhered to it more closely than others. Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) has stood by the practice and said after the filibuster change he will continue to do so.

"I assume no one will abuse the blue slip process like some have abused the use of the filibuster to block judicial nominees on the floor of the Senate," Leahy said. "As long as the blue slip process is not being abused by home state senators, then I will see no reason to change that tradition."

It remains to be seen whether Republicans will resort to withholding blue slips more frequently after the filibuster rule change. Some may be tempted to because it's now their most powerful weapon to thwart Obama from filling up the judiciary with his preferred nominees. If so, it'll put to the test Democrats' willingness to uphold the tradition.

"Blue slips are a matter of policy (not a formal committee or chamber rule) set by the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee," said Sarah Binder, a professor at George Washington University and congressional expert at the Brookings Institution. "Leahy has followed a common (Judiciary Committee) practice of allowing a single negative (or withheld) blue slip to prevent the committee from holding a nomination hearing. But it's just a practice (aka norm) of the committee, and Leahy could stop observing it if he so chose."

-snip-

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/how-republicans-can-still-block-obama-judges

[ProSense]

4. I understand that. Thanks for the article. Still,

"I assume no one will abuse the blue slip process like some have abused the use of the filibuster to block judicial nominees on the floor of the Senate," Leahy said. "As long as the blue slip process is not being abused by home state senators, then I will see no reason to change that tradition."

...he still needs to hear from people.

[ProSense]

5. Kick! n/t