Tag: cloture

Cloture vote today on gun-grabbing, pro-lifer-hating Caitlin Halligan.

I got tipped this one by the Rick Perry campaign: surprised that I didn’t see this before.  Halligan is up for a judicial appointment to the US Circuit Court of Appeals for DC, and she’s… well, read [for some reason, the link didn’t work the first time]:

Ms. Halligan’s confirmation has been vigorously opposed by the National Rifle Association, Gun Owners of America, and Committee for Justice. Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously rejected her confirmation earlier this year. In 2003, as Solicitor General of New York, Halligan attempted to hold gun manufacturers liable for criminal acts committed with handguns. She filed briefs in federal court arguing for the unconstitutionality of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which the National Rifle Association described as providing “essential protection…for the Second Amendment rights of honest Americans[.]”

Halligan also filed an amicus brief in arguing that federal RICO laws should be used against pro-life groups. She repeatedly attempted to hijack the federal court system in order to impose her own political beliefs on the general public.

Halligan’s hostility to civil rights and life issues is in fact fairly well-documented; and the cloture vote is today.  Call your Senator if you want him or her to stand tough on this one.

Moe Lane (crosspost)

Goodwin Liu nomination to Ninth Circuit Court blocked.

Almost a pity, in its way: the Ninth Circus has a certain reputation of being where we put the more… awkward… liberal judges.  You know: the ones who might as well write their decisions in crayon and/or Comic Sans, because they’re just going to get overruled on appeal anyway.

Background here: suffice it to say that Liu had issues with both his judicial philosophy and, frankly, his experience.  The final score was: 52 for cloture, 43 against, 1 present, 4 not voting.  The vote split along party lines, with Murkowski voting for cloture, Hatch voting present, and Vitter/Moran/Hutchinson not voting on our side; I don’t know if the last three have a legitimate excuse for not being there.  Note, though, that of that list only one (Hatch) is actually up for re-election in the near future…

Good job to everybody that called on this one.

Moe Lane (crosspost)