Senator Removes His Block on Federal Court Nominee

[cal04]

Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas, who blocked the confirmation of a woman to the federal bench because she attended a same-sex commitment ceremony for the daughter of her long-time neighbors, says he will now allow a vote on the nomination.

Mr. Brownback, a possible contender for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008, said in a recent interview that when the Senate returned in January, he would allow a vote on Janet Neff, a 61-year-old Michigan state judge, who was nominated to a Federal District Court seat.

Mr. Brownback, who has been criticized for blocking the nomination, said he would also no longer press a proposed solution he offered on Dec. 8 that garnered even more criticism: that he would remove his block if Judge Neff agreed to recuse herself from all cases involving same-sex unions.

In an interview last week, Mr. Brownback said that he still believed Judge Neff’s behavior raised serious questions about her impartiality and that he was likely to vote against her. But he said he did not realize his proposal — asking a nominee to agree in advance to remove herself from deciding a whole category of cases — was so unusual as to be possibly unprecedented. Legal scholars said it raised constitutional questions of separation of powers for a senator to demand that a judge commit to behavior on the bench in exchange for a vote.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/19/washington/19judge.html?hp&ex=1166504400&en=a38f809def72d30e&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[babylonsister]

1. Ugh. And scary that that was even allowed. nt

[PDJane]

sigh.

Miserable, hidebound, reactionary old (expletive deleted).

The man needs to get out more.

[Warpy]

4. Anything but that!

I'd greatly prefer to see him in a nice room with people in white coats coming to listen to his problems and giving him all sorts of medicine that makes him feel warm and fuzzy like other people might be all right no matter who they know.

The last thing I want to see is Brownback in any sort of responsible position.

[PDJane]

13. Point conceded........

and it's probably a good thing I have a new monitor and waterproof keyboard coming............

[Mabus]

2. Brownback didn't know?!? He's an attorney

and he didn't know his action was unprecedented and raised constitutional questions? And he wants to be president? :banghead:

[Nickster]

3. Yeah, and Frist is a doctor, blows your mind doesn' it? n/t

[Mabus]

5. Good point.

And yes, it does blow the mind.

[gratuitous]

15. I would guess

That he either didn't know it because he presumed that it had happened before (remember he's part of the same body that featured that august personage Jesse Helms) or he figured that no one would call him on it. Call it presumptive ignorance on Brownback's part.

[Mabus]

16. Naw

He's one of my senators. Pat "what report?" Roberts is my other one. Neither of them are very bright and I prefer to think of both of them as idiots but Brownback is definitely the worst of the two. Brownback is like the "Decider". He refuses to listen to anyone who disagrees with him. I've been part of several groups that have attempted to lobby Brownback on several issues. His office doesn't return phone calls and doesn't like to make appointments to meet with constituents. If you don't agree with him or donate to his campaign you don't exist.

[stillcool]

6. I feel like pinching myself...

here tonight. This shit is just too far out there. Damn I miss 1999.

[mike_c]

7. Must. Resist. Copycat.....

:evilgrin:

[Erika]

8. W spoke to the Log Cabin Republicans

Maybe he'll recuse himself from being president!

The radicals who took over the GOP are going to hang themselves with this witch hunt on the gays. They've gone loony tunes overboard.

[truthisfreedom]

9. They're fucking delusional. They think they can do anything. They don't even read the fucking rules.

'Scuse me please, Mr. Senator... you might want to read the fucking rules.

I swear to god, these thugs just make shit up and run with it.

[anotherdrew]

10. how about this piece of human filth, Brownback, resign in disgrace and walk away?

I'm not gonna hold my breath, but jeez, what an ass!

[Catch22Dem]

11. Let me ask this...

If she came out and condemned the ceremony, what would that say about her impartiality, Sam? I can guarantee he'd back a nominee who did that.

[countmyvote4real]

12. Senators can be as partial as they wannabe.

That includes being narrow minded, bigoted and just plain asshats, but none make Brownback Senatorial other than the name of his office.

[dogfacedboy]

14. The question on my mind is...

...what kind of retards actually look up to this Brownback character enough to vote him into office in the first place?

[Scout1071]

17. OMG, he is officially insane.

The American Taliban. Who in the hell in Kansas votes for him? I don't know and I'm a Kansan!

[Norquist Nemesis]

18. Well, I presume he attended ceremonies for Dick Cheney

and supported him on the ticket as Vice President. But, hey! That's different, I guess.