WASHINGTON, November 15, 2002 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee today agreed this week to admit two of President Bush’s judicial nominees to the full Senate for confirmation. The approval of Judge Dennis Shedd was done in a very unusual manner. The New York Times reports that the committee first allowed the Shedd to be approved by a voice vote. Then, one by one, each of the Democrats present asked to be recorded as having voted against him.
District Judge Dennis Shedd and University of Utah professor Michael McConnell will likely be approved by the Senate for the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va., and the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, respectively. Both have been targets of the Democrats’ collaboration with extreme pro-abortion feminist groups to destroy the advancement of competent, moderate Bush appointees in the judiciary—even after 8 years of Clinton appointments. Kate Michelman of the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL) says, “Shedd and McConnell will further threaten the reproductive rights of women… Increasingly conservative federal courts are upholding greater and greater restrictions on the right to choose,” she claims without evidence. National Review (NR) on line reports today that several Democrats, including Kennedy, Leahy, and Michigan Sen. Carl Levin, may be working to organize a filibuster that would prevent the full-Senate vote on the nomination of Shedd. NR says “Such a move would be highly controversial, even among Democrats, because it could tie the Senate up in procedural knots at a time when lawmakers are racing to finish work on the Department of Homeland Security and other measures during the lame-duck session.” NR concluded that “It is unclear how the dispute will be resolved, and insiders believe it might stretch into next week.” For previous LifeSite coverage see: DEMOCRATS REJECT BUSH JUDICIAL NOMINEE IN SYMBOLIC BLOW https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2002/sep/02090604.html PRO-ABORTION GROUPS TARGET BUSH-APPOINTED DOCTOR https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2002/oct/02101706.html SENATE SHUTDOWN OVER JUDGES? https://www.nationalreview.com/york/york111502b.asp DEMOCRATS VOTE NO. BUT ALLOW JUDICIAL NOMINEE TO ADVANCE https://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/15/politics/15JUDG.html?todaysheadlines