Democrats Push Forward on Goodwin Liu, Other Judge Nominees (approved in committee)

[usregimechange]

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted along party lines today to advance the nomination of law professor Goodwin Liu to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, signaling they're not ready to give up on one of President Barack Obama's most controversial nominees.

Liu’s nomination now heads back to the full Senate, where a protracted fight awaits. Republicans have not ruled out a filibuster — a tactic that Democrats used against some of President George W. Bush’s nominees and that could become much more effective if Republicans gain a significant number of seats with the November elections.

Senators also voted largely along party lines to advance three nominees for federal district court: Louis Butler Jr., a former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice, for the Western District of Wisconsin; Edward Chen, a U.S. magistrate judge, for the Northern District of California; and John McConnell Jr., a Motley Rice partner, for Rhode Island.

The committee had previously backed all four nominees. It did so again after Republicans forced their names to be sent back to the White House in August.

http://legaltimes.typepad.com/blt/2010/09/democrats-push-forward-on-goodwin-liu-other-judge-nominees.html

[babylonsister]

1. What a slow, dumb process. This needs to be changed. nt