ConfirmThem

Even when the Senate Democrats started their desperate filibuster strategy in the spring of 2003, they could hardly believe that Frist and the Senate GOP were so spineless and hapless, and were letting the Dems get away with it. When the GOP stupidly let Estrada go down, the game was effectively lost. Goodbye Estrada, W. HAYNES, Boyle, Pickering, Myers, Allen, Saad, Kethledge, Murphy, Matthews, Rosenstein, Stone, Getchell, probably Conrad, et al. So unnecessary. So it goes.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/02/20080226-10.html

"Colm F. Connolly, of Delaware, to be United States District Judge for the District of Delaware, vice Kent A. Jordan, elevated."

http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/de/usattorney/index.html

"A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Colm F. Connolly earned his M. Sc. at the London School of Economics and his J.D. at Duke University School of Law.

From 1991 to 1992, Mr. Connolly clerked for Judge Walter K. Stapleton of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. From 1992 to 1999, Mr. Connolly was an Assistant United States Attorney. In that position, he led an 18-month multi-agency investigation into the disappearance of Governor Carper's secretary that resulted in the indictment of Thomas J. Capano for first degree murder. He was cross-designated as a Special Assistant Attorney General to co-prosecute State v. Capano and won a first degree murder conviction. In addition, Mr. Connolly prosecuted the first federal criminal civil rights case in Delaware history. He has litigated more than 40 cases in the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and prosecuted over 100 defendants for various offenses. Since 2001, he has served as United States Attorney for the District of Delaware. Colm and his wife Anne have four children."

http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080226/NEWS/8...

"The White House confirmed today that it has sent U.S. Attorney Colm F. Connolly’s name to the U.S. Senate as its nominee to fill a vacancy on the federal bench in Delaware.

Connolly’s name was submitted for consideration by President Bush along with three others last year to fill the position left vacant by Kent A. Jordan after he was appointed to the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals.

Political observers and experts, however, have said that it will be difficult for any nominee to get confirmed with a presidential election looming in November and Democrats in control of the U.S. Senate.

Connolly, who became well known for winning a conviction against Thomas Capano for the murder of Anne Marie Fahey, was appointed U.S. Attorney in 2001 by Bush."

Finally. It's only been 14 months since that vacancy occurred when Jordan was elevated.

Do you think that now the Adminstration might finally get around to nominating someone for Hardiman's District Court seat? It's only been a year. Does anyone know what Arlen has been up to (besides Short)? And two new vacancies opened this month in East Pennsylvania. Arlen had better get moving fast. These are seats we can fill.

the classless Jn. McCain should commend Haynes.

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080225/NEWS01/802...

"...his answers at his confirmation hearing earlier this month are raising questions among some senators and the state's top medical examiner. What appeared to be a routine confirmation process has suddenly become complicated.

"During that hearing, a lot of red flags were raised," said Erica Chabot, spokeswoman for Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. "You can bet there are some follow-ups."

Senators on the committee were given two weeks to submit additional questions that will be sent to Puryear for written responses."

http://texascivilrightsreview.org/phpnuke/modules.php?name=News&file=art...

"Both Tennessee Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker strongly support Mr. Puryear's nomination. Neither Senator has acknowledged the substantial financial contributions received from Mr. Puryear and his employer, CCA – which include over $80,000 to Senator Alexander and $27,000 to Senator Corker since 2004.

Further, Mr. Puryear mentioned in disclosure statements that he is a member of the Nashville-based Belle Meade Country Club. The fact that Mr. Puryear maintains membership in an exclusive, predominately white club that did not admit its first minority member until 1994, and reportedly does not afford voting privileges to female members but only to male members, is a matter of significant concern for a federal judicial nominee."

http://bench.nationalreview.com/post/?q=YzU3YThhMmNlNWIxM2FlMTc5NzZkOWNm...

"According to a well-placed Supreme Court source, New York Times reporter Linda Greenhouse is telling folks at the Court that she has accepted a Times buyout package and will be ending her coverage of the Court at the end of the current term."

lets hope she goes out having to write about a whole host of conservative wins in Boumedienne, Baze, Heller and other cases.

William F. Buckley has died:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2008/02/author_conserva.h...

This is very sad news, and is the end of an important era in American history.

I wonder if the unexpected death of his wife several months back contributed to WFB's death. The loss of hope and meaning that sometimes follows a spouse's death can have such an effect.

Not such good news. The New York Slimes will just replace her with an even more leftist hack to distort Supreme Court decisions and issues. At least Greenhouse could write well stylistically and is often amusing. I must admit that I've always enjoyed reading her articles, even while disagreeing with her pervasive innuendo and liberal subtext. Given the Times/Slimes inexorable downward trajectory, her replacement will be both courser and worse. So it goes.

Perhaps the Times will replace her with Jan Crawford Greenburg? I know - their not smart enough to do that.

Correction: they're not smart enough.

Hilarious mistake, Mr. Friendly. Absolutely hilarious.

Yep - perfectly done on my part.

I'm not happy about Greenhouse's departure, either. She could write well, she new the Court well, and she was far less bias than many make her out to be.

Who will she be replaced by? Adam Liptak or whoever seems far less informed and far more of a hack than her. Jeffrey Toobin would be an unmitigated disaster. Dahlia Lithwick probably would, too. Tony Mauro might not be too bad. Jan Crawford Greenburg would of course be good, but I think Greenhouse is a better stylist.

Should be 'coarser', not 'courser' (sounds like reindeer from 'The Night Before Christmas'). Ouch!

Jan Crawford Greenberg is far too independent and intellectually honest to be a New York Times/Slimes reporter. I'd be amazed if she succeeds Greenhouse.

you should have waited a week and a dozen or so blog entries or at least comments before making the correction, then it would have been perfect!

NYT: MCCAIN'S BIRTHPLACE IN CANAL ZONE RAISES ELIGIBILITY QUESTIONS...

Anybody able to comment on this in a knowledgable way?

[T]he children of citizens of the United States, that may be borne beyond sea, or out of the limits of the United States, shall be considered as natural-born citizens of the United States.---Act of March 26, 1790, 1 Stat. 103.

See WEEDIN v. CHIN BOW, 274 U.S. 657 (1927).

But, hillarious -

http://www.theonion.com/content/radio_news/supreme_court_rewards_base

Earlier this month 3 (THREE) District Judges on the Eastern District of Pennsylvania retired (took senior status) on the same day, February 11th. The three are: James T. Giles (appointed by Carter: 1979), John R. Padova (appointed by G.H.W. Bush: 1992), and Bruce W. Kauffman (appointed by Clinton: 1998). The fact that 3 judges from the same District retired on the same day seems rather odd, to say the least. Does anyone have an explanation for this unlikely coincidence?

Seemingly, the 3 couldn't be in a better place to to get replacements confirmed on an expedited schudule during the few months remaining. Presumably Arlen Specter has plenty of protoges available for quick nomination. And presumably no GOP Senator is in a better position to get his nominees confirmed quickly. Would Casey make any trouble?

And once again (again!), why hasn't the Administration nominated someone to Hardiman's vacant seat on Pennsylvania West. It's been nearly a year and this should be a slam dunk. Is Casey making trouble here? Some kind of bargain should be made with him if necessary.

Has there been any word on the status of the two district court nominees who were supposed to get a vote in the Judiciary Committee today? (Judge Miller and I don't know the other one off hand.) I haven't seen anything posted about it.

Courtesy of How Appealing,

http://www.observer.com/2008/supreme-court-whisperer-linda-greenhouse-ta...

"Linda Greenhouse, the Pulitzer-winning diviner of the inner workings of the Supreme Court and one of the great New York Times institutions, has asked to leave the paper under a voluntary buyout program.

"For 30 years, my internal clock has been set to the Supreme Court's calendar, but the buyout got my attention and it's a really good deal," she said in an interview with Media Mob last night.

The Times announced on Valentine's Day that 100 newsroom staffers would lose their job, and they'd begin the painful process by offering buyouts. The first deadline to volunteer for a buyout is on March 5 and Ms. Greenhouse has applied. (The Associated Press reported it last evening here.)

The buyout should be a good one—it's a two-year-salary plus a bonus since she's been at the Times for more than 35 years (she started there in 1968).

All in all, she said it would be about a $300,000 payoff (she makes $140,000 a year)."

http://newhouse-web.syr.edu/legal/blog_comments.cfm?blogpost=548

"Who will replace Linda Greenhouse? The 30-year veteran of the Supreme Court beat announced yesterday she's taking a buyout and leaving the Times at the end of the Court's term, which would mean in June."

"Adam Liptak is the obvious first guess."

I think that the three Pennsylvania judges decided to take senior status on the same day to force an emergency on their court, an emergency that might force the White House to nominate moderates and the Dem-controlled Senate to more quickly confirm those moderates. Their plan may or may not work.

Anytime an old Carter-appointed judge takes senior status, its a good day. Maybe the retirement bug will spread West, to Carter's legacies on the Nefarious Ninth.

Good use of alliteration, Manassas.

Any word on today's judges at the SJC exec?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nan-aron/a-recess-from-common-sens_b_89076...

This is an odd article. The first paragraph is written as if today,

"Last week, the Senate was in recess. But, you couldn't tell by the Senate Judiciary Committee, which scheduled a hearing for President Bush's latest nominee to the Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, Catherina Haynes."

Later, however, it is written as if it was done last week before Catharina Haynes' hearing on 2/21,

"Yet a hearing is scheduled on her nomination for tomorrow. During recess."

I guess Nan has nothing new against Haynes so she is just recycling last week's trashing.

On the agenda are:

Brian Stacy Miller to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Arkansas.
James Randal Hall to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Georgia.
John A. Mendez to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of California.
Stanley Thomas Anderson to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Tennessee.

It is likely that Miller and Hall will be approved and Mendez and Anderson will be delayed for 1 week.

Still missing circuit judge Catharina Haynes and the controversial nominations of Puryear and Honaker.

http://judiciary.senate.gov/meeting_notice.cfm?id=3183

The Senate Dems are just playing the game and delaying even the slam dunk District nominees for as long as possible in the normal course under Committee rules. Can't blame them for that: the Move-ons and Kossites would fry them if they didn't.

They're putting off Haynes because as long as she's in Committee there's no pressure to hold a hearing for Pratter. My guess is that they'll find a way to delay Haynes' first agenda consideration until the week of March 10-14 at least. Then they will exercise the one-week delay to put Haynes' Committee vote past the two-week Easter Recess into April. The Pratter hearing can then be finessed into mid-late April. If they put off the first Haynes vote past the Recess, the Dems may be able to knock the Pratter hearing to April 29-30 or the second week of May.

http://www.acsblog.org/guest-bloggers-guest-blogger-glenn-sugameli-bush-...

"President George W. Bush is demanding that the Senate essentially abandon its constitutionally-mandated “advise-and-consent role” in selecting lifetime judges. Bush’s string of nominees is a blatant attempt to force the Senate into a Hobson’s choice: rubber-stamp his unilateral, extreme choices or create artificial vacancies that rally the President's narrow, right-wing base."

Interestingly, although the report bad-mouths Getchell, Conrad and Matthews, it doesn't mention Haynes or Pratter.

http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=522208

"Greenhouse’s seniority and studied attention to her subject matter made her an object of tremendous respect among her colleagues in Washington, said Jeffrey R. Toobin ’82 a former Crimson editorial chair who covers the courts for The New Yorker magazine.

Never was Greenhouse’s influence more evident, Toobin said, than the December evening when the Supreme Court passed its ruling on the contentious 2000 presidential election. The decision was released late at night.

“There probably were 75 [reporters] there and it was pretty obvious that everyone was looking to Linda for answers on what [the decision] said and what it meant,” Toobin said. “Her status as first among equals was never more clear than on that night.”

The eminent reporter’s influence reached above the ranks of her peers.

“[Justice Stephen G.] Breyer once said to me if we didn’t think we did something and Linda thinks we did then I assume she must be right,” Toobin said, “I assume that’s indicative of how she’s viewed there.”

What is this article saying? That the cadre of Supreme Court reporters during Bush v. Gore were such idiots that they had to rely on liberal Ms. Greenhouse do their analysis for them?
That some Supreme Court justices (like Breyer) actually think that Greenhouse can better analyze their own opinions than they can themselves? Maybe Mr. Breyer needs to resign his office if he actually thinks he's not that mentally acute.

"One unfortunate byproduct of Linda Greenhouse’s imminent departure from the New York Times will be the generation of fawning articles like this one in the Harvard Crimson. It may not be surprising that the reporter would take at face value statements like these from law professor Larry Tribe:

“This is shocking and it’s most unfortunate. However good a deal Linda got out of it, the country is so much worse off.”

“She is a national treasure.”

After all, how might any naïve cub reporter, in the so diverse atmosphere of Cambridge, Massachusetts, imagine that Tribe might be lamenting that he will no longer have Greenhouse to propagate his liberal gospel on constitutional law?"

http://bench.nationalreview.com/post/?q=YjRmZTNiMzRjYzM0YTZiY2I3YzllYTQ3...

are going to be a President Obama's best friend. Obama will use these guys legal reasoning -- which basically said the Prez has extraordinary power in a time of war -- in new and creative ways to further their radical left wing agenda. It's coming and it won't be pretty.

The press is reporting this morning that Tim Goeglein, aide to President Bush since 2001, has resigned over the issue of plagiarism having to do with his hometown newspaper. I'm not going to comment on whether the punishment fits the "crime," but I wanted to express publicly my appreciation for all the behind-the-scenes work that Goeglein has put in over the last several years specifically in the judicial confirmation wars. Although he wasn't a policy maker at the WH, his work on this issue was invaluable to conservative groups and undoubtedly helped to seat many of the judges (and justices) we have fought for on this site.

Tim, you will be missed.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8V49P7O1&show_article=1

To Mr. Haynes, I'm only sorry we could not do more for you.

To Mr. Geoglein, your presence will be missed at the weekly "leave-us-alone" coalition center-right meetings.