Posted by Generalissimo
The Senate Judiciary Committee just wrapped up business for the week, and they heard statements from all the members of the committee as to how they were going to vote on the matter of the Leslie Southwick nomination. If you will recall, yesterday, Republican leader Mitch McConnell went through the steps of offering a Sense of the Senate resolution to try and get some kind of a vote on the floor for the 5th Circuit Court nominee that had been languishing in the Judiciary Committee. Predictably, members indicated they were going to vote along party lines, defeating the nomination of Southwick in committee, until California Senator Dianne Feinstein broke ranks and indicated she was going to vote him out.
While she was reading her statement, the camera showed New York Senator Chuck Schumer, the man who last week indicated that President Bush should not get any more judicial picks because he says so, showing an expression that went from stunned to bilious.
The vote just concluded in the committee, and Judge Southwick has been reported out favorably to the full Senate for consideration, 10-9. Senator McConnell, not wasting any time, has already publicly called for quick floor action on Southwick. The Sense of the Senate amendment he offered yesterday has apparently served as a shot across the bow to at least one Democratic Senator on the Judiciary Committee. Now the fun begins on the Senate floor, where McConnell can really go to work on Senator Reid. Senator Reid, your move. Now that Southwick has been reported to the floor for a vote, you might have trouble getting unanimous consent to ask for the time and temperature to be read aloud.
While the path to the Appellate court for Judge Southwick still has some bumps ahead, the biggest hurdle to his confirmation, approval from a Democratically controlled Judiciary Committee, has now been cleared. Congratulations to the Republican leadership for its persistence, and thanks to Senator Feinstein for looking past the left-wing smear campaign and recognizing the qualifications and accomplishments of the judge and voting appropriately.