Well that was fast. After threatening to hold up the nomination of Eric H. Holder Jr. to be the nation’s 82nd attorney general—and the first black to hold that office—the Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee blinked.
The committee vote was 17 to 2, with only two Republicans, Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, voting against the nomination.
Some Republicans had hoped to make the Holder nomination a demonstration of party strength in the face of a Democratic-controlled White House and Congress. But the air went out of that effort even before Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, the ranking Republican, said on Tuesday that he would support Mr. Holder’s nomination.
Cornyn is struggling for relevancy in the post-Bush era. This is the same senator who delayed Hillary Clinton's confirmation as secretary of state but eventually voted for her.
Holder is the former deputy attorney general in the Clinton Administration and a strong supporter of a hate crimes and employment discrimination legislation for gays. Gay activists have been among his fiercest defenders.
The nomination goes to the Senate floor and he is expected to be confirmed. The next order of business: The naming of 93 U.S. Attorneys. There are expected to be holdovers and President Barack Obama has said he wants to retain Patrick Fitzgerald in Chicago—the federal prosecutor responsible for the Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Scooter Libby cases.
Great news indeed, the man is qualified and the two that voted against him were the same ones who were in total admiration of the unqualified Alberto Gonzales. And, what is up with the Texas and Oklahoma contingents, is "no" the only thing they ever know to vote? Well, other than tax cuts for the rich!
Posted by: Luther | 29 January 2009 at 08:54
The texas and Oklahoma senators are becoming the NO chorus inthe senate. as Luther says, Cornyn and Coburn and hacks.
Posted by: carlos | 29 January 2009 at 10:03
This is great news. Hopefully any minority, be it race, gender, or orientation will now have a fair trial at the federal level. Things like the dragging death of the black man in Texas, or the young black woman who was held hostage and abused will come to the forefront of the courts.
Posted by: Diva1961 | 29 January 2009 at 13:28
Without the (albeit skimpy) 'cover' of the Bush Administration, Republican hardliners are showing their real, horrific faces. Cornyn! Can the Dems put up someone to beat him in the next election?
Posted by: ReggieH | 29 January 2009 at 16:34