Ron Johnson "filibuster" of Nourse nomination to federal bench draws fire

[usregimechange]

Victoria F. Nourse
Nominee for the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
51 Years Old


Article

Republican Sen. Ron Johnson’s decision to block the judicial nomination of a University of Wisconsin law professor has drawn a pointed letter of protest from a group of legal academics around the country.

Johnson has singlehandedly held up consideration of Victoria Nourse for the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, which reviews federal cases from Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana.

“For a single senator from one state within the Circuit to assert a hold, months after the nomination was complete, undermines Wisconsin’s merit-based selection system, blocking highly qualified nominees from a hearing and a vote,” reads the letter to Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy of Vermont and the panel’s top Republican, Charles Grassley of Iowa. “The effect is an unbreakable one-person filibuster.”

The professors say a "a nominee of sterling credentials who has served under both Republicans and Democrats" should not be subject to "unending delay." You can click here to see the letter and its 53 signatories, some of whom served under Republican presidents.

By tradition, the objections of individual senators, even in the minority, to judicial nominees from their own state are given great deference. With Johnson opposed to Nourse, Democrat Leahy has not scheduled a hearing on her nomination.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/125741928.html

[sharp_stick]

1. They've got to stop this hold shit

it's even more outrageous than the pretend filibuster nonsense practiced with great regularity by the Senate. At the very least a hold should expire at a given point.

[gratuitous]

2. Where's that sacrosanct "up or down vote" Republicans are always squealing about?

Looks like Sen. Johnson is a Class A hypocrite.

[dragonlady]

3. Johnson is a newbie and has strange notions about his job

Even for a Republican. One of our Wisconsin forum colleagues, undeterred, coined the term "Senator Dumbass," which just about covers it.

[a kennedy]

5. he's the pimple on the ass......

and he defeated the fabulous Russ Feingold, just makes me sick thinking about it. Ugh......

[AndyTiedye]

6. That is what "Citizens United" Is Doing to Us

Feingold was outspent by more than 4 to 1 — that we have been able to find out about — the real numbers are probably far higher.

How can we hope to compete with such a flood of cash flowing to the Repigs?

[damntexdem]

4. It's long past time to dump many Senate "traditions."

But of course those who would have to do the dumping are those who, to a greater or lesser degree, benefit from them: the senators.