McCain Is Loose Again
I do not think that I really need to go over this man's recent record, but tell me if this man is really with his party?
--John McCain colluded with Russ Feingold to pass Campaign Finance Reform, which enabled the 527's to rise, and the Hard Left to dig into the Democrat Party even harder than before. As an aside, I condemn the US Supreme Court for finding in favor of the law passed in McConnell v. FEC.
--McCain/Kennedy Immigration Bill: Though it has some flaws in the guest worker section of the bill, it does not compare to the fact that the Republican base is against it, the elected Republican representatives are against it, and it excludes the wall from it; that is an integral piece of the House bill, that likewise, lacks a chance at passage.
--McCain also injected a torture amendment to the last defense appropriations bill, despite the fact we already have laws--good laws, and laws upheld by Justice and Defense--on the books regarding torture. He stood solidly against the ANWaR provision that Senator Ted Stevens wanted in that bill. This is a national security issue, and Senator McCain seems ensconced against the idea. (At least in OUR view.)
But, Ed Whelan reports that John McCain has etched up another black mark:
According to a senior staffer in Senate leadership, the Senate will likely turn to floor action in May on the long-pending nomination of Terry Boyle to the Fourth Circuit and/or the long-pending nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the D.C. Circuit. The Kavanaugh nomination is still before the Judiciary Committee, but should be reported to the floor soon.
Meanwhile, the nomination of William Myers to the Ninth Circuit is stalled, as some Republican senators are sorting out how his testimony on one issue meshes with the documentary record.
According to a very knowledgeable non-Senate source, the news is much worse for Fourth Circuit nominee William Haynes: Senator McCain is committed to stopping Haynes's confirmation, and Senator Graham, as a favor to Senator McCain, will keep the nomination from being reported out of committee. If this news is accurate, it would appear that there is no hope for Haynes's nomination.
The indefatigueable Paul Mirengoff also has his two cents in the mix:
Finally, Ed's source reports that John McCain is committed to preventing the confirmation of Jim Haynes (4th Circuit), and McCain's side-kick, Lindsey Graham, will keep Haynes from getting out of the Judiciary Committee.
As I have argued, Haynes, an outstanding public servant, is being made the scapegoat for questionable legal advice provided by the Justice Department with respect to the interrorgation of detainees. Haynes used that advice to provide guidance to the military, as he should have. If Haynes had provided legal advice inconsistent with the position of the Justice Department, he would have demonstrated a lawlessness that might constitute grounds for blocking his confirmation.
If McCain wants to punish an administration official for playing a key role in the development of our policy on interrogating detainees, a better target would be Attorney General Gonzales. The "offending" legal advice was prepared for Gonzales who then was the president's counsel. Unlike Haynes, Gonzales arguably was in a position to cause the Justice Department's position to be rejected.
And finally, the "emperor" Hughus Hewittus weighed in on it:
I don't believe that even Senator McCain's legendary indifference to the political consequences of his acts among the GOP base will allow him to compound the Gang of 14 fiasco with the blockade in committee --through Senator Graham-- of a Bush judiical nominee.
Voting against a nominee on the floor is Senator McCain's unquestioned right.
Orchestrating the sequestration of a nominee so as to deny a vote he might win is the same tactic that the Leahy-led Judiciary Committee perfected, and would telegraph a deep contempt for the Constitutional design.
If Senators McCain/Graham obstruct the judicial nomination process, they have no right to complain of others doing so, or any business asking for Republican primary votes. The campaigns of 2002 and 2004 have been waged in part on this central issue of up-or-down votes on the floor for a president's nominees to the bench.
If Senator McCain wants to defeat a nominee, let him do so in the open and on the floor. He'll have the Democrats with him, and the MSM.
But if he arranges for this nominee to disappear, expect to hear the name William Hanyes broadcast throughout Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina as the short course in why Senator McCain shouldn't get a GOP vote in those primaries.
Defending the Gang of 14 is hard enough. Defending the suffocation of a nominee in committee is impossible.
Now, I know that Senator McCain gets most of his votes and decisions correct; that being in favor of the party. However, this is something that I would have a tough time overlooking. Thomas, Sabrian and I have always stood for solid judicial appointees. After researching William Haynes, there can be no question on his judicial ethics and beliefs. But, Senator McCain, without ryhme or reason, has gone after Mr. Haynes. The only thing I can come to is the fact that Mr. Haynes did defend Justice's interrogation memos.
If this is the case, if Senator McCain is butt-hurt that he defended the Justice Department's memos regarding torture and interrogation, I am sorry but they are right, and he is wrong. He was wrong when he attached the torture bill to the defense appropriations bill, and he is wrong to take out his aggression on Mr. Haynes. Mr. Haynes is an extremely deserving individual who will serve the federal bench with honor and integrity, and will follow the proper judical restraint required. However, Senator McCain seems to have a problem with him.
At a time when we need these nominees to fill vacancies (many of them like Mitch McConnell and Brett Kavanaugh have languished for longer than a year) Senator McCain decides to make a personal fight out of a presidential appointee. This does not bode well for him right now.
Not that his recent or past record holds anything better for voters.
The Bunny ;)
I do not think that I really need to go over this man's recent record, but tell me if this man is really with his party?
--John McCain colluded with Russ Feingold to pass Campaign Finance Reform, which enabled the 527's to rise, and the Hard Left to dig into the Democrat Party even harder than before. As an aside, I condemn the US Supreme Court for finding in favor of the law passed in McConnell v. FEC.
--McCain/Kennedy Immigration Bill: Though it has some flaws in the guest worker section of the bill, it does not compare to the fact that the Republican base is against it, the elected Republican representatives are against it, and it excludes the wall from it; that is an integral piece of the House bill, that likewise, lacks a chance at passage.
--McCain also injected a torture amendment to the last defense appropriations bill, despite the fact we already have laws--good laws, and laws upheld by Justice and Defense--on the books regarding torture. He stood solidly against the ANWaR provision that Senator Ted Stevens wanted in that bill. This is a national security issue, and Senator McCain seems ensconced against the idea. (At least in OUR view.)
But, Ed Whelan reports that John McCain has etched up another black mark:
According to a senior staffer in Senate leadership, the Senate will likely turn to floor action in May on the long-pending nomination of Terry Boyle to the Fourth Circuit and/or the long-pending nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the D.C. Circuit. The Kavanaugh nomination is still before the Judiciary Committee, but should be reported to the floor soon.
Meanwhile, the nomination of William Myers to the Ninth Circuit is stalled, as some Republican senators are sorting out how his testimony on one issue meshes with the documentary record.
According to a very knowledgeable non-Senate source, the news is much worse for Fourth Circuit nominee William Haynes: Senator McCain is committed to stopping Haynes's confirmation, and Senator Graham, as a favor to Senator McCain, will keep the nomination from being reported out of committee. If this news is accurate, it would appear that there is no hope for Haynes's nomination.
The indefatigueable Paul Mirengoff also has his two cents in the mix:
Finally, Ed's source reports that John McCain is committed to preventing the confirmation of Jim Haynes (4th Circuit), and McCain's side-kick, Lindsey Graham, will keep Haynes from getting out of the Judiciary Committee.
As I have argued, Haynes, an outstanding public servant, is being made the scapegoat for questionable legal advice provided by the Justice Department with respect to the interrorgation of detainees. Haynes used that advice to provide guidance to the military, as he should have. If Haynes had provided legal advice inconsistent with the position of the Justice Department, he would have demonstrated a lawlessness that might constitute grounds for blocking his confirmation.
If McCain wants to punish an administration official for playing a key role in the development of our policy on interrogating detainees, a better target would be Attorney General Gonzales. The "offending" legal advice was prepared for Gonzales who then was the president's counsel. Unlike Haynes, Gonzales arguably was in a position to cause the Justice Department's position to be rejected.
And finally, the "emperor" Hughus Hewittus weighed in on it:
I don't believe that even Senator McCain's legendary indifference to the political consequences of his acts among the GOP base will allow him to compound the Gang of 14 fiasco with the blockade in committee --through Senator Graham-- of a Bush judiical nominee.
Voting against a nominee on the floor is Senator McCain's unquestioned right.
Orchestrating the sequestration of a nominee so as to deny a vote he might win is the same tactic that the Leahy-led Judiciary Committee perfected, and would telegraph a deep contempt for the Constitutional design.
If Senators McCain/Graham obstruct the judicial nomination process, they have no right to complain of others doing so, or any business asking for Republican primary votes. The campaigns of 2002 and 2004 have been waged in part on this central issue of up-or-down votes on the floor for a president's nominees to the bench.
If Senator McCain wants to defeat a nominee, let him do so in the open and on the floor. He'll have the Democrats with him, and the MSM.
But if he arranges for this nominee to disappear, expect to hear the name William Hanyes broadcast throughout Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina as the short course in why Senator McCain shouldn't get a GOP vote in those primaries.
Defending the Gang of 14 is hard enough. Defending the suffocation of a nominee in committee is impossible.
Now, I know that Senator McCain gets most of his votes and decisions correct; that being in favor of the party. However, this is something that I would have a tough time overlooking. Thomas, Sabrian and I have always stood for solid judicial appointees. After researching William Haynes, there can be no question on his judicial ethics and beliefs. But, Senator McCain, without ryhme or reason, has gone after Mr. Haynes. The only thing I can come to is the fact that Mr. Haynes did defend Justice's interrogation memos.
If this is the case, if Senator McCain is butt-hurt that he defended the Justice Department's memos regarding torture and interrogation, I am sorry but they are right, and he is wrong. He was wrong when he attached the torture bill to the defense appropriations bill, and he is wrong to take out his aggression on Mr. Haynes. Mr. Haynes is an extremely deserving individual who will serve the federal bench with honor and integrity, and will follow the proper judical restraint required. However, Senator McCain seems to have a problem with him.
At a time when we need these nominees to fill vacancies (many of them like Mitch McConnell and Brett Kavanaugh have languished for longer than a year) Senator McCain decides to make a personal fight out of a presidential appointee. This does not bode well for him right now.
Not that his recent or past record holds anything better for voters.
The Bunny ;)
posted by Syd And Vaughn | 11:54 PM
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