Disappointed by Senate's Return to Inadequate Confirmation Pace

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

ALLIANCE FOR JUSTICE DISAPPOINTED BY SENATE’S RETURN
TO INADEQUATE CONFIRMATION PACE 

Washington, D.C., March 14, 2012—Alliance for Justice President Nan Aron issued the following statement regarding the deal reached by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to allow votes on 14 judicial nominees over the next two months:

We are disappointed by the United States Senate’s continued delay in carrying out its constitutional responsibility. With 102 vacancies in the federal courts, the Senate should make the staffing of the judiciary a priority. But as we saw yet again today, many in the Senate would rather turn a routine confirmation process into a political spectacle.

After an attempted filibuster of 17 district court nominees who enjoyed bipartisan support, the Senate is now stringing out votes on 14 nominees over the course of three months. Those nominees could have been confirmed today.

Equally disturbing is Minority Leader McConnell’s assertion that President Obama has seen more of his nominees confirmed than President Bush. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. In fact, after the first three years of his presidency, 168 of President Bush’s nominees had been confirmed. In comparison, only 122 of President Obama’s were. By the end of this year, the Senate will need to confirm 76 more nominees in order for President Obama to have seated as many new judges as President Bush did during his first term.