posted on January 31, 2006 11:43:37 AM new
Alito Confirmed at Last
By Susan Jones
CNSNews.com Senior Editor
January 31, 2006
(Update: The U.S. Senate voted 58-42 to confirm Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court on Tuesday, with a handful of Democrats crossing party lines to vote aye. Press reports predicted that Alito would get 57 votes. Alito was then sworn in by Chief Justice John Roberts to serve on the bench of the high court.)
(CNSNews.com) - Now that a Democrat filibuster attempt has fizzled, the U.S. Senate is expected confirm Judge Samuel Alito's nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday morning.
The Senate voted 72-25 on Monday to end debate on Alito's nomination. Sens. John Kerry, Ted Kennedy, Hillary Clinton and other liberal Democrats who opposed Alito's nomination on ideological grounds could not muster the 41 votes they needed to keep the debate going.
A final vote on Alito's confirmation is scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday. Press reports said Alito will be confirmed with at least 57 votes, including those of six or seven Democrats.
Once confirmed, Alito will be sworn into office immediately so he can join the other Supreme Court justices at President Bush's State of the Union Address Tuesday night.
While liberal interest groups groused, conservative supporters of Alito praised the Senate for ending the debate on Alito's nomination.
"The idea of filibustering a fine nominee like Judge Alito is beyond ridiculous -- it's an abuse of the advice-and-consent process and defies the will of the American people," said Jan LaRue, chief counsel for Concerned Women for America.
"There is absolutely nothing in Judge Alito's past, present or foreseeable future that would justify the first-ever filibuster of a Supreme Court nominee in U.S. history. Everything we have learned about this man confirms the fact that he should be seated on the Supreme Court," LaRue added.
The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), also expressed relief when the Senate cleared the "final hurdle" in the confirmation process.
"The final push by a small number of Democrats to filibuster the Alito nomination was clearly rejected by senators in both political parties. This eleventh hour tactic was not only unfortunate but entirely predictable by a highly partisan group of obstructionists," said Jay Sekulow, ACLJ chief counsel.
But on the other side of the political spectrum, the Alliance for Justice warned that Americans' "fundamental rights and freedoms" are at risk.
"The fact that so many Senators voted for extended debate demonstrates how troubling Alito's record is," said Alliance for Justice President Nan Aron. "We are proud that they went the extra mile to underscore how profoundly the Alito nomination will change the Supreme Court."
The Alliance for Justice warned that "Americans will feel the impact of this nomination for years to come."
Kim Gandy, president of the National Organization for Women, commended the "25 honorable senators, led by John Kerry and Ted Kennedy, who voted on principle" to filibuster Alito's nomination.
Monday's vote is the only one that counts, said Gandy. "Votes against Alito [on Tuesday] are irrelevant, and no senator who voted "Yes" [on Monday] can hide behind a "No" vote [on Tuesday]," she warned.
"Supporters of women's rights, civil rights and the separation of powers lost this pivotal battle because senators who should have been fighting for their constituents chose not to do so. But in the process we exposed the despicable agenda of the right wing, and their unrelenting determination to undermine our rights and liberties."
One Independent, Jim Jeffords of Vermont, voted no on cutting off debate, as did 24 Democrats, including Evan Bayh (Ind.), Joe Biden (Del.), Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein of Calif.; Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer of N.Y.; Mark Dayton (Minn.), Christopher Dodd (Conn.), Dick Durbin and Barack Obama of Ill.; Russ Feingold (Wis.) Kennedy and Kerry (Mass.), Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez of N.J.; Patrick Leahy (Vt.); Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow of Mich.; Barbara Mikulski and Paul Sarbanes of Md.; Patty Murray (Wash.); Jack Reed (R.I.); Harry Reid (Nev.); and Ron Wyden of Oregon.
"“More Iraqis think things are going well in Iraq than Americans do. I guess they don’t get the New York Times over there.”—Jay Leno".
posted on January 31, 2006 11:46:51 AM new
So he got in? Good for him. I thought he was a decent man and will be a fair SC judge. (They pick their fights so foolishly.) They went after him for a club he briefly traversed in college? --What is this the McCarthy hearings?
Welp, that is what they get for killing marilyn, monica, and hanoi jane. Will kerry be running for 2008?
.
[ edited by dblfugger9 on Jan 31, 2006 11:50 AM ]
posted on January 31, 2006 11:48:19 AM new
It is now "Justice Ailto" he was confirmed today.
LOL Kerry just can't win can he.
Ron
"I'm so depressed. My doctor refused to write me a
prescription for Viagra. He said it would be like putting
a new flagpole on a condemned building."
posted on January 31, 2006 05:08:51 PM new
"One Independent, Jim Jeffords of Vermont, voted no on cutting off debate, as did 24 Democrats, including Evan Bayh (Ind.), Joe Biden (Del.), Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein of Calif.; Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer of N.Y.; Mark Dayton (Minn.), Christopher Dodd (Conn.), Dick Durbin and Barack Obama of Ill.; Russ Feingold (Wis.) Kennedy and Kerry (Mass.), Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez of N.J.; Patrick Leahy (Vt.); Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow of Mich.; Barbara Mikulski and Paul Sarbanes of Md.; Patty Murray (Wash.); Jack Reed (R.I.); Harry Reid (Nev.); and Ron Wyden of Oregon."
when I see the names of Boxer,Feinstein,Kennedy,Kerry....May I assume this must be a list of the top 25 scumbags in America??
[ edited by classicrock000 on Jan 31, 2006 05:12 PM ]
