by The Senate rejected cloture on the filibuster of the confirmation of Caitlin Halligan to be a judge on the D.C. Circuit this afternoon. The vote was virtually a party line vote with every Democrat voting to invoke cloture and every Republican except Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) voting against it. Hatch voted Present and Murkowski voted to invoke cloture. To invoke cloture would have required 60 votes Yea. The final tally was 54 Yeas, 45 Nays, and 1 Present.
How your senator voted is below.
Grouped By Vote Position
| YEAs —54 | ||
| Akaka (D-HI) Baucus (D-MT) Begich (D-AK) Bennet (D-CO) Bingaman (D-NM) Blumenthal (D-CT) Boxer (D-CA) Brown (D-OH) Cantwell (D-WA) Cardin (D-MD) Carper (D-DE) Casey (D-PA) Conrad (D-ND) Coons (D-DE) Durbin (D-IL) Feinstein (D-CA) Franken (D-MN) Gillibrand (D-NY) |
Hagan (D-NC) Harkin (D-IA) Inouye (D-HI) Johnson (D-SD) Kerry (D-MA) Klobuchar (D-MN) Kohl (D-WI) Landrieu (D-LA) Lautenberg (D-NJ) Leahy (D-VT) Levin (D-MI) Lieberman (ID-CT) Manchin (D-WV) McCaskill (D-MO) Menendez (D-NJ) Merkley (D-OR) Mikulski (D-MD) Murkowski (R-AK) |
Murray (D-WA) Nelson (D-FL) Nelson (D-NE) Pryor (D-AR) Reed (D-RI) Reid (D-NV) Rockefeller (D-WV) Sanders (I-VT) Schumer (D-NY) Shaheen (D-NH) Stabenow (D-MI) Tester (D-MT) Udall (D-CO) Udall (D-NM) Warner (D-VA) Webb (D-VA) Whitehouse (D-RI) Wyden (D-OR) |
| NAYs —45 | ||
| Alexander (R-TN) Ayotte (R-NH) Barrasso (R-WY) Blunt (R-MO) Boozman (R-AR) Brown (R-MA) Burr (R-NC) Chambliss (R-GA) Coats (R-IN) Coburn (R-OK) Cochran (R-MS) Collins (R-ME) Corker (R-TN) Cornyn (R-TX) Crapo (R-ID) |
DeMint (R-SC) Enzi (R-WY) Graham (R-SC) Grassley (R-IA) Heller (R-NV) Hoeven (R-ND) Hutchison (R-TX) Inhofe (R-OK) Isakson (R-GA) Johanns (R-NE) Johnson (R-WI) Kirk (R-IL) Kyl (R-AZ) Lee (R-UT) Lugar (R-IN) |
McCain (R-AZ) McConnell (R-KY) Moran (R-KS) Paul (R-KY) Portman (R-OH) Risch (R-ID) Roberts (R-KS) Rubio (R-FL) Sessions (R-AL) Shelby (R-AL) Snowe (R-ME) Thune (R-SD) Toomey (R-PA) Vitter (R-LA) Wicker (R-MS) |
| Present – 1 | ||
| Hatch (R-UT) | ||
UPDATE: Looking over the list of Democrats listed as voting for cloture, I see a few that have portrayed themselves as friends of the Second Amendment such as Senators Jim Webb (D-VA), Jon Tester (D-MT), and David Pryor (D-AR). I guess for them party is more important than principle.
The White House is not pleased that the filibuster will continue according to this statement. Obama describes his nominees as “distinguished” but a more appropriate description might be anti-gun ideologues.
Statement by the President on Republican Filibuster of Caitlin Halligan
I am deeply disappointed that a minority of the United States Senate has blocked the nomination of Caitlin Halligan to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Ms. Halligan has the experience, integrity, and judgment to serve with distinction on this court, and she has broad bipartisan support from the legal and law enforcement communities. But today, her nomination fell victim to the Republican pattern of obstructionism that puts party ahead of country. Today’s vote dramatically lowers the bar used to justify a filibuster, which had required “extraordinary circumstances.” The only extraordinary things about Ms. Halligan are her qualifications and her intellect.
Currently, Senate Republicans are blocking 20 other highly qualified judicial nominees, half of whom I have nominated to fill vacancies deemed “judicial emergencies” by the Administrative Office of the Courts. These are distinguished nominees who, historically, would be confirmed without delay. All of them have already been approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee – most of them unanimously – only to run into partisan roadblocks on the Senate floor. The American people deserve a fair and functioning judiciary. So I urge Senate Republicans to end this pattern of partisan obstructionism and confirm Ms. Halligan and the other judges they have blocked for purely partisan reasons.
So once again, Hagan shows her anti-gun colors. We should remember that when she comes up for re-election.
@Sean: Unfortunately, Hagan doesn't come up for re-election until 2014 – but I think gun owners have a long memory.
wow.. our gals from maine hung in there against "the one"… finally i am not disgusted by a "bi partisan" vote!
" … blocked for purely partisan reasons."
I'm thinking blocked for purely Constitutional reasons … but then the -resident doesn't seem to remember the Constitution or any other statutes when his pets are being considered.
[W3]
Yes, Barry, those evil Republicans are blocking the emergency nomination of dozens of esteemed, qualified, fair, impartial good guys (and gals), just because they want to be obstinate, petty, and rude. You tell 'em.
[end snark]
I love how he spins it to sound like the Republicans are voting against disaster relief to flood victims.
He is right about one thing: the American people do deserve a fair and functioning judiciary. Too bad we probably won't get one under his regime.