And here I thought that the issue of judicial filibusters and votes on nominees was settled by the "Gang of 14".

Guess not -- it appears that "extraordinary circumstances" are not htat extraordinary after all.

After months of relative quiet, senators raised the prospect yesterday of a return to bitter battles and a possible filibuster over judicial nominations, as the White House urged confirmation of two conservative nominees who have sought approval for years.

Democratic leaders said they certainly would filibuster one of the nominees, Terrence W. Boyle, and might filibuster the second, Brett Kavanaugh, if Republicans refuse to call him back for a second hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. The partisan rhetoric was the strongest signal yet that the Senate might revisit the brinkmanship that brought the chamber to the edge of crisis a year ago, when a bipartisan group of 14 members crafted a temporary cease-fire.

The "Gang of 14" pact cleared the path for confirmation of several appellate court nominees whom Democrats had filibustered in President Bush's first term, and it doomed the chances of a few others. It also narrowed the Democrats' tactical options for opposing Bush's two appointees to the Supreme Court last year. But the Kavanaugh and Boyle nominations may test its resiliency.

Seems to me that we are back where we started -- and that the nuclear option will likely have to be invoked to overcome demand by Democrats for an extra-constitutuional super-majority to confirm judges.

Posted by: Greg at 10:06 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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