Elena Kagan Confirmation Vote Delayed Until Next Tuesday By a Republican Committe

[truebluefan]

The Senate Judiciary Committee postponed scheduled action Tuesday to send Elena Kagan's Supreme Court nomination to the full Senate for confirmation, setting a panel vote for next week.

Republicans insisted on the delay, saying they needed more time to review Kagan's written answers to questions they posed to her after her confirmation hearings, and to inquire still further into how she would behave as a justice.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/13/elena-kagan-confirmation_n_644174.html

 

[Hunter]

Re: Elena Kagan Confirmation Vote Delayed Until Next Tuesday By a Republican Committ

There is absolutely no doubt on either side of the aisle that she will be confirmed to the high court. The Republicans are going to use this extra week simply to delay the vote - everyone knows what the vote talley will end up being. Look for them to also use this to raise some campaign cash going into the midterms.

I know Hatch and Grassley want her to answer if she will "recuse" herself on a certain health care challenge case that will probably hit the Supreme Court level in the next two years. That could make it a 5-3 vote to overturn if Kennedy sides with the conservative justices.

 

[Hunter]

Re: Elena Kagan Confirmation Vote Delayed Until Next Tuesday By a Republican Committ

This is interesting. Senator Sessions, the ranking Republican on Judiciary said the filibuster was "not off the table on Kagen".

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) told HUMAN EVENTS that he would not rule out filibustering Elena Kagan's nomination to the Supreme Court. In an exclusive interview, the ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee said that a "filibuster is not off the table," but cautioned that such a procedural tactic would only be employed under "extraordinary circumstances." Asked if Kagan's penchant for judicial and political activism hit the benchmark of "extraordinary circumstances," Sessions wouldn't commit, but noted how Kagan did not "help herself in her testimony."



If confirmed, Sessions said that Kagan could very well be one of five judges "who can actually redefine the meaning of those words [the Constitution] that protect our liberties."

"Frankly, I don't think she assuaged our concerns at the [confirmation] hearing."

Really interesting for him to say this...especially AFTER the confirmation hearings. I can't him going through with the thought of a filibuster though...you can filibuster a lot of things, but a supreme court nominee is the "sacred cow" if there was one. Presidents should be given wide latitude on SCOTUS appointments, in my opinion.