Will Sen. Lee vote against a nominee he supports?
March 14, 2012
Utah: Utah's freshman senator, Mike Lee, is sticking to his plan to oppose all of President Obama's federal court nominees, even one Lee supported in his home state. Add to that the plan of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to force votes on seventeen languishing judicial nominees and Lee has much to be peeved about these days. On the president's recess appointment, he said, "Because of the issues I’ve got with the president’s unconstitutional abuse of the recess-appointment power, I’ve acknowledged that I’ll be voting differently."[1]
The vote Lee refers to is that on the nomination of David Nuffer, who is currently a magistrate for the United States District Court for the District of Utah. Nuffer was appointed to that court as a judge by the President in June 2011 and has not yet been confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Lee now finds himself in the position of publicly supporting a candidate, but possibility voting against the candidate's nomination on principle.[1]
Senate Democrats are upset about these federal vacancies, dubbed "judicial emergencies" by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. Senator Reid said, "There are judges on this list that go back to November of last year. Not because we couldn't have done it. These could be confirmed in a matter of minutes. The votes should be routine. They shouldn't be a fight that delays action on important jobs measures." [2] Democrats see Senator Lee as a perfect example of "Republican obstructionism."[2]
See also: Utah Senator votes against all of Obama judicial nominees from February 28, 2012.
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