Republican Texas Senator John Cornyn may have been in office for 11 years, but he still has a lot to learn about the judicial nominating process.
Just this past week, Cornyn ranted about the judicial nominee vacancies in Texas, claiming that the seats have been open for over 1,000 days, and that it's President Obama's responsibility to fill in those vacancies with his own nominations.
Democratic Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse had a few things things to say on the matter, as he responded to Cornyn's rate with the following - "I don't see why you need additional judges when there have been multiple vacancies that have been left without nominees for years. I have an issue with that."
Cornyn responded with, "The president's got to nominate somebody before the Senate can act on it."
The long-standing tradition is for the state's senators to bring forth nominees to the president and for the president to then work with the senators to likely confirm some of the nominees. In other words, Senator Cornyn was casting blame on President Obama for not filling in those vacant seats when it was the senator's responsibility to bring forth some nominees to the president's attention, which he didn't do.
After Senator Whitehouse went over this very point once again, Cornyn responded with, "Well why don't you tell the White House to nominate some people?"
Whitehouse replied with, "We work off recommendations of the senators. At least, that's the way..."
Cornyn then interrupted the Rhode Island Senator and said:
"The Constitution provides the president makes a nomination, and we provide advice and consent. So that's a condition precedent to our ability to act. The fact is because of our proximity to the border ... the caseload per judge is sky-high compared to the rest of the country. So this is not some game we're playing here."
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (Democrat - Vermont) then cut in and said:
"Based on 38 years experience here, every judgeship I've seen come through this committee during that time has followed recommendations from the senators, especially since I've been chairman, because ... as the senator from Texas knows, if senators have cooperated with the White House and the White House sends somebody they disagree with ... I have not brought the person forward, even when it's been importune to do so by the White House."
Even though Senator Cornyn has been in office for 11 years, it appears as if the guy has only read the Cliff Notes version on what all goes into being a United States Senator. The bell has rung, Senator Cornyn. I think it's about time you headed back to class...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/09/john-cornyn-judicial-nominees_n_3249403.html
Just this past week, Cornyn ranted about the judicial nominee vacancies in Texas, claiming that the seats have been open for over 1,000 days, and that it's President Obama's responsibility to fill in those vacancies with his own nominations.
Democratic Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse had a few things things to say on the matter, as he responded to Cornyn's rate with the following - "I don't see why you need additional judges when there have been multiple vacancies that have been left without nominees for years. I have an issue with that."
Cornyn responded with, "The president's got to nominate somebody before the Senate can act on it."
The long-standing tradition is for the state's senators to bring forth nominees to the president and for the president to then work with the senators to likely confirm some of the nominees. In other words, Senator Cornyn was casting blame on President Obama for not filling in those vacant seats when it was the senator's responsibility to bring forth some nominees to the president's attention, which he didn't do.
After Senator Whitehouse went over this very point once again, Cornyn responded with, "Well why don't you tell the White House to nominate some people?"
Whitehouse replied with, "We work off recommendations of the senators. At least, that's the way..."
Cornyn then interrupted the Rhode Island Senator and said:
"The Constitution provides the president makes a nomination, and we provide advice and consent. So that's a condition precedent to our ability to act. The fact is because of our proximity to the border ... the caseload per judge is sky-high compared to the rest of the country. So this is not some game we're playing here."
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (Democrat - Vermont) then cut in and said:
"Based on 38 years experience here, every judgeship I've seen come through this committee during that time has followed recommendations from the senators, especially since I've been chairman, because ... as the senator from Texas knows, if senators have cooperated with the White House and the White House sends somebody they disagree with ... I have not brought the person forward, even when it's been importune to do so by the White House."
Even though Senator Cornyn has been in office for 11 years, it appears as if the guy has only read the Cliff Notes version on what all goes into being a United States Senator. The bell has rung, Senator Cornyn. I think it's about time you headed back to class...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/09/john-cornyn-judicial-nominees_n_3249403.html
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