ConfirmThem

Interesting interview with Ted Cruz on his move from the Texas Solicitor General's office to private practice:

http://amlawdaily.typepad.com/amlawdaily/2008/05/morgan-lewis-sn.html

http://specter.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=NewsRoom.NewsRelea...

"There are grave concerns raised about the scheduling of the confirmation of Judge Helene White because, simply stated, there is not enough time to do it and do it right. Judge White was nominated on April 15, less than a month ago. Her questionnaire was not received until April 25. The FBI investigation was not begun until April 25. The ABA report cannot be completed until May 19 at the earliest. After Judge White's hearing, which is scheduled hastily for May 7, the committee typically leaves the record open for 1 week, which would close the record on May 14. If there are questions for the record, Judge White would have 1 week to answer those questions, which would bring us to May 21. If the nomination is held over for a week, that would put us into June. Assuming the nomination is not held over for a week, that leaves only 2 days before May 23 for the committee to review her answers, schedule and hold a committee vote, and for the full Senate to vote on her nomination. No circuit court nominee has had hearings prior to their ABA report being received. The ABA report is not expected until at least May 19.

“In the past, the Democrats have been very vocal in opposing this kind of a schedule. When the schedule was set for Peter Keisler 33 days after his nomination, the Democrats cited the concern that the Keisler hearing should not be held so quickly in advance of the ABA recommendations: ‘We should not be scheduling hearings for nominees before the Committee has received their ABA ratings,’ all of which is violated here.

“Senator Schumer said: ‘So let me reiterate some of the concerns we expressed about proceeding so hastily on this nomination. First, we have barely had time to consider the nominee’s record. Mr. Keisler was named to this seat 33 days ago. So, we are having this hearing with astonishing and inexplicable speed.’

“Well, this hearing is even more astonishing and even more inexplicable. When we do not follow regular order, we tend to get into trouble. The appropriate course would be to move to the nominations of Judge Conrad and Mr. Matthews in the Fourth Circuit where there is a judicial emergency.”

As I stated in a previous thread, I think the Republicans' game plan is to force a delay in the confirmations of Kethledge, White and Murphy past Memorial Day. They are counting on the ABA to delay their new ratings until then because they hope the organization will not want to appear to be pandering to the Dems' need to quickly process certain nominees. If the Republicans succeed in this endeavor, they can then demand that Reid and the Dems confirm two other COA nominees before Memorial Day in order to fulfill their original promise. That would open the door for the likes of Keisler, Conrad and Matthews. If the Dems opt not to fulfill their promise in order to prevent confirmations they don't want, they will expose themselves as liars.

Conrad nominated.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/05/20080508-9.html

Glen Conrad of Virginia. Currently a District Court Judge there.

I think (but am not sure) that he's also on the Warner/Webb list. Still, probably too late I'd think.

Yes, he's on the Webb/Warner list. Yes, he's one of the one's we've been saying for months should have already been nominated. No, I don't think it's too late. He's totally non-controversial - an excellent district court judge who should be reliably conservative. Perhaps this is an attempt to circumvent the impasse with Matthews and the other Conrad - get another conservative on the 4th Circuit any way we can.

This is a good sign. It might force the Dems to confirm another Bush nominee to the Fourth Circuit after Memorial Day. This could also help keep the Fourth relatively conservative even if Robert Conrad, Steve Matthews and Rod Rosenstein are not confirmed. Bush certainly has turned somewhat conciliatory recently. I wonder what has brought about this change. I wish he had been a little more conciliatory last year and nominated Agee and Glen Conrad then.

By nominating Conrad and not Lemons (also on the WW list), Bush avoids raiding the Virginia Supreme Court and letting Tim Caine restock it, since Agee is also on the VA Sup Ct (although I believe the VA legislature has a significant say in who gets appointed).

A solid nomination.

http://www.fjc.gov/servlet/tGetInfo?jid=3031

"Conrad, Glen Edward
Born 1949 in Radford, VA

Federal Judicial Service:
Judge, U. S. District Court, Western District of Virginia
Nominated by George W. Bush on April 28, 2003, to a seat vacated by James C. Turk; Confirmed by the Senate on September 22, 2003, and received commission on September 24, 2003.

U.S. Magistrate, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia, 1976-2003

Education:
The College of William and Mary, B.A., 1971

The College of William and Mary, Marshall Wythe School of Law, J.D., 1974

Professional Career:
Interpreter/host, Colonial Williamsburg, Inc., 1974
U.S. probation officer, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia, 1975-1976
Law clerk, Hon. Ted Dalton, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia, 1975-1976"

There are several reasons why Leahy and the Dems will confirm Conrad before the November election:

1) They want to appear "reasonable" in regards to bipartisan picks. That is the reason why Leahy says he now rushing the confirmation of Agee. It would be difficult for the Dems to confirm one nominee off the Warner/Webb list and not another.

2) The Dems also want to appear "reasonable" in terms of the number of COA confirmations in Bush's last two years. Although some may disagree with this, I really think the Dems would prefer to allow Bush to get as close as possible to Clinton's COA confirmation number of 65 for no other reason than to use the number as a tool in 2009 to shame the Republicans into allowing the confirmation of liberal nominees from Obama. If the number of confirmed Bush nominees is too far below Clinton's then they know the Republicans will seek retribution.

3) The Dems may also want to honor retiring Republican moderate John Warner. In the past, the Dems allowed conservative Dennis Shedd to be confirmed to honor someone they hated, Strom Thurmond. I can easily see them wanting to honor a retiring Republican they like.

"He's totally non-controversial" - I wish I had a dollar for each time I've heard that said in the past year or two.

Too true, too true....

Finally! On May 8th of election year after waiting a year after Widener announced his intention to retire. Conrad seems an excellent nomination. But I fear it's too late. Hopefully not. If Republicans are politically adroit, maybe they can "trade" the unconfirmable N.C. Conrad and Matthews (S.C.) for this Conrad. But it's so so late! And we need Pratter too. And what about Keisler?

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hRmz9eWnRYXNaJk5RMwFIylrVvfgD90HOQPO0

"Conrad was one of several people that Sens. John Warner, R-Va., and Jim Webb, D-Va., recommended to Bush after conducting a search of their own. With the Conrad nomination, the president has five nominees pending for the five vacant seats on the 4th Circuit.

Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he was happy that Bush heeded the recommendations of Warner and Webb. Leahy said the nomination comes after years of contentiousness and failed nominations for the Fourth Circuit.

"Today's nomination of Judge Glen Conrad for a Virginia seat on the Fourth Circuit is another example of the progress that can be made when the president works with the Senate," Leahy said. "Progress was long coming, but I commend the president for now taking the advice of Senator Warner and Senator Webb. In doing so, the president may have cleared the way for the Senate to consider another nominee in the short time remaining to us this year.""

It sounds like Leahy has every intention of getting Glen Conrad confirmed.

http://www.wsls.com/sls/news/local/article/roanoke_federal_court_judge_n...

"Today, Senator John Warner (R-VA) and Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) welcomed President Bush’s nomination of Judge Glen E. Conrad of Roanoke to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, as he was on their list of recommendations.

“I have no doubt that Judge Conrad will be an outstanding addition to the Fourth Circuit,” said Senator Warner. “With more than three decades on the bench, he is not only a fine jurist held in high esteem by his peers, he has also played a prominent role in the legal community outside the courtroom. I am pleased the president has selected Judge Conrad for this high honor.”

“Senator Warner and I recommended Judge Glen Conrad for the Fourth Circuit because of his exceptional legal qualifications,” said Senator Webb. “I am proud of the collaborative effort that Senator Warner and I have put into this process, and I am pleased that the president has nominated Judge Conrad for the position. For decades, Judge Conrad has served the people of western Virginia well, and I know he will continue to do so.” "

It looks like Mr. Conrad has the support of the three people he needs the most to get confirmed: Leahy, Warner and Webb.

From reading more, it does look like G. Conrad is on the fast track to confirmation. Great! 2 out of 5 4th Circuit confirmations is the highest achievable this year anyway. The price should be R. Conrad, Rosenstein and Matthews. The price should definitely NOT be Keisler and Pratter. That would be a foolish mistake and a craven surrender.

To a certain extent, Bush now appears to be working at cross-purposes with the Senate Republicans. By nominating Glen Conrad, he has assuredly killed the nominations of Robert Conrad and Steve Matthews. The Dems know it will be hard for the Senate Republicans to complain about the obstruction of Fourth Circuit nominees if they quickly confirm not only Agee, but now Glen Conrad as well.

With Glen Conrad's nomination, Bush might as well withdraw Robert Conrad and Steve Matthews in order to replace them with more consensus nominees. While it seems that the White House finally has seen the light by affirming the Warner/Webb list with nominations, they are at the same time undercutting their other Fourth Circuit nominees. They must know that it will be next to impossible under these circumstances to get Robert Conrad and Steve Matthews confirmed. What do Bush and McConnell do now with these two nonconfirmable nominees?

McConnell and Specter have been bitterly complaining about how White is being processed too fast while other nominees languish. But can they continue to validly moan the same moan and groan the same groan if they allow the Dems to quickly confirm both Agee and G. Conrad? To smile at the fast confirmations of Agee and G. Conrad and frown at the fast confirmation of White comes across as very partisan and opportunistic.

In addition, the Dems now have a new pawn to hold over the Republicans' head for two months. It used to be Pratter, but it looks like Casey has killed that nomination. After the likely confirmations of Agee, Kethledge and White this month, the Dems will still have Glen Conrad's nomination to hold over the heads of the Senate Republicans in June and July if the Republicans squawk too loudly about Keisler, R. Conrad and Matthews.

I don't have the exact quotation, but apparently Jn. McCain said something in an interview like, "I'm against sanctuary cities, but...."

If any one can post the entire quotation in context I would appreciate it.

Michelle Malkin posted on 5/6 re McCain speaking to La Raza and reminding us of all the dubious pro amnesty types he has yet to disavow.

will be able to show his mettle on this soon.

I know it's not directly related to this site, but can the Senate minority try to get some legislation to the floor that would:
*Favor drilling in ANWR and elsewhere;
*Expand refinery capability;
*and provide some regulatory relief?

Gas prices went up 19 cents within 24 hours here in the heartland!

Can the president execute any orders to get the U. S. off the dime on this matter?

The last remaining option is to recess appoint one of them (probably Conrad, I still hold out hope Keisler can be confirmed), and see if Obama will repay the Roger Gregory incident.

Most likely not, though.

President Obama?? Not gonna happen, zendari. Warts and all, McCain will be our next president.

Kethledge, White, Agee, G. Conrad - all are pretty much assured confirmation this year. My hope is we can also squeeze in Keisler. I think that's about the best we can do.