Judiciary Committee Approves Kagan; On to Full Senate

[Hunter]

WASHINGTON – Pushing toward an election-year Supreme Court confirmation vote, a polarized Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday approved Elena Kagan to be the fourth female justice.

Just one Republican joined Democrats to approve Kagan's nomination and send it to the full Senate, where she's expected to win confirmation within weeks.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., broke with his party to cast the sole GOP "yes" vote on President Obama's nominee to succeed retiring Justice John Paul Stevens. The vote was 13-6.

"What's in Elena Kagan's heart is that of a good person who adopts a philosophy I disagree with," Graham said. "She will serve this nation honorably, and it would not have been someone I would have chosen, but the person who did choose, President Obama, I think chose wisely."

A few more Republicans are expected likely to back Kagan in the full Senate, where Democrats have more than enough votes to confirm her.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100720...Ec2VjA3luX3RvcF9zdG9yeQRzbGsDanVkaWNpYXJ5cGFu

 

[Hunter]

It's worth noting that for an individual to be "passed" by the committee to any federal bench (Supreme Court, Appelate, District, etc), at least one senator from the minority party MUST vote for that individual. In this case, Sen. Graham provided that crucial vote.