Federal Judiciary

White House Issues Statement

By AndrewHyman

Here's what President Bush said today following confirmation of Helene White and Raymond Kethledge:

Since the beginning of the 110th Congress, the Senate has confirmed only 10 circuit court nominees. In the last two years of the past three Administrations, the Senate has confirmed an average of 17 circuit court judges.

I don't see any way the Democratic Senators can talk their way out of these facts. But I'm sure that the feat will be attempted. This statement by President Bush is a good first step toward more White House engagement in the confirmation process, which Quin Hillyer recently urged here at ConfirmThem.

Meanwhile, National Review has an editorial up today regarding the stalled Fourth Circuit nomination of Robert Conrad (not to be confused with Fourth Circuit nominee Glen Conrad, or with the star of the Wild Wild West). The editorial includes this:

Conrad is a devout Catholic who, two decades ago, in his private life criticized a nun for ?the near total contempt [she] displayed for the Roman Catholic Church.? Committee chairman Patrick Leahy has somehow twisted Conrad?s defense of his church into a wild claim that Conrad made ?anti-Catholic comments.? No one has ever alleged that Conrad?s faith has interfered with his fulfillment of his duties of public service.

Senator Leahy owes this nominee an apology and a hearing.

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Full post as published by ConfirmThem on June 25, 2008 (boomark / email).