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Senators at home for Easter may find no recess for themselves from the controversies swirling around the
Democrats' continuing obstructionism of federal judicial nominations. The judicial vacancy record appears to
be better, but appearances are deceptive. Much of the "improvement" results from the Dems' allowing a
number of non-controversial U. S. District Court nominees to pass the Senate. The controversies over the
Courts of Appeals vacancies continue unabated, and may intensify after the recess. Nomination statistics are
more difficult than might be thought to keep updated. But here is our best current count:
| | Courts of Appeals | District Courts | Totals |
| Vacancies | 24 | 26 | 50 |
| Nominees Pending | 18 | 21 | 39 |
| Totals | 42 | 47 | 89 |
| Judicial Emergences | 18 | 9 | 27 |
These statistics mask the nature and depth of the crisis created by the Democrat obstructions of President
Bush's nominees:
- 11 Court of Appeals nominees are trapped in the Judiciary Committee. Six of these have been "blue
slipped"--denied a vote because powerful Senators have returned negative "blue slips" on these nominees. 4
of the 6 nominees are for the Sixth Circuit, which operated at 50% employment for a long period of time.
These 4, plus a nominee named to the U. S. District Court for Michigan's Eastern District,--a total of 5
Michigan nominees--are being blocked by Michigan's two Democrat Senators, Carl Levin and Debbie
Stabenow. The unprecedented Levin-Stabenow tantrum, which began months ago, demands that two
unconfirmed Clinton nominees to the 6th Circuit be given a hearing (one is a cousin-in-law of Levin).
- The Democrat filibuster of Miguel Estrada (nominated to the D. C. Circuit), also unprecedented,
continues. Four feeble efforts by the GOP to impose cloture (end the filibuster) have failed, each lacking
five Democrat votes (4 Dems have voted for cloture).
- Other Bush nominees under fire include 6th Circuit nominees Sutton and Cook, 5th Circuit nominee
Owen, D.C. Circuit nominee Roberts, and 9th Circuit nominee Kuhl.
- Also likely to draw fire soon are new nominees, William H. Pryor, Jr., to the 11th Circuit, and J. Leon
Holmes to the Eastern District of Arkansas.
These Democrat tactics of filibustering and blue slipping judicial nominees are both unjustified and
unconstitutional.
YOU CAN HELP:
TELL YOUR SENATORS WHILE THEY ARE AT HOME THAT THEY MUST
END JUDICIAL NOMINATION FILIBUSTERING AND BLUE SLIPPING!
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Eagle Forum
