The Washington Monthly

March 27, 2009

CORNYN'S 'POWER GRAB'.... The non-partisan Congressional Research Service reported last year that historically, when a president is of one party and both of a state's senators are of a different party, "the primary role in recommending candidates for district court judgeships is assumed by officials in the state who are of the President's party."

That makes sense. For example, when Bush was president and he needed recommendations for the federal bench in a state with two Democratic senators, there was no point in asking them for a list of names -- the Bush White House wouldn't approve of the jurists the Democrats had in mind. In those cases, Bush would turn to either House Republicans from those states, or Republican officials at the state level.

With this in mind, the Obama White House stated plainly this week that it would work with the Democrats in Texas' House delegation when selecting judges, U.S. attorneys, and U.S. marshals.

Yesterday, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) denounced this and described it as wholly unacceptable. And what kind of process does Cornyn prefer?

Cornyn says he intends to send Obama candidates who have been screened by the committee he and Hutchison have always used for making nominations -- a committee he admits is "heavily stacked with Republican lawyers."
And why is that? Because he doesn't want the selection process "to be viewed as a partisan exercise" and this is the only way he can "depoliticize the nomination process."

So when there was a Republican in the White House, Cornyn, Hutchison, and a bunch of Republican lawyers controlled the judicial selection process because that is what the people of Texas elected them to do ... but now that there is a Democrat in the White House, Cornyn, Hutchison, and a bunch of Republican lawyers must maintain control over the process in order "depoliticize the nomination process."

And Cornyn wonders why it's so difficult to take anything he says seriously.

—Steve Benen 3:50 PM Permalink | Trackbacks | Comments (13)

Comments

They sure grow 'em big down in Texas, don't they?

Posted by: Donald from Hawaii on March 27, 2009 at 3:51 PM | PERMALINK

Cornyn's suggestions will make a handy black list, but I wish Obama would tell Dems thanks, but no thanks. We'll do our own due diligence. Letting politicians get involved in the process of choosing judges or prosecutors smells of corruption.

Posted by: Danp on March 27, 2009 at 3:58 PM | PERMALINK

"And Cornyn wonders why it's so difficult to take anything he says seriously."

No he doesn't. "Wondering" takes intelligence and a sense of self awareness.

We're talking about Cornyn here.

Posted by: CT on March 27, 2009 at 4:01 PM | PERMALINK

Sounds like Cornyn is worried that if the Dems supply names, the justices will not be as worthless as the ones that Bush selected.
The GOP still has not figured out that they LOST.

Posted by: JC on March 27, 2009 at 4:17 PM | PERMALINK

The complaints are the point. There isn't any more there there, don't bother looking.

Posted by: Eric on March 27, 2009 at 4:19 PM | PERMALINK

The way Cornyn wants it - the beatings will continue until morale improves! -Kevo

Posted by: kevo on March 27, 2009 at 4:33 PM | PERMALINK

see the Obama deception at infowars.com

dont be a pawn in the false left right paradigm

Posted by: telmudgin on March 27, 2009 at 4:44 PM | PERMALINK

Since President Obama is gracious I would expect his press secretary to thank the Senator for his offer, but decline it so the WH can continue getting judicial nominees the traditional way.

Posted by: MarkH on March 27, 2009 at 4:49 PM | PERMALINK

One has to wonder how anyone so ridiculous could ever get elected to the Senate. Oh, I forgot. We're talking about Texas.

Posted by: r on March 27, 2009 at 4:49 PM | PERMALINK

Further proof, as if proof were needed, that - as the ads say - Texas is indeed "a whole other country." One that is "not of this earth."

Posted by: TCinLA on March 27, 2009 at 5:32 PM | PERMALINK

Letting politicians get involved in the process of choosing judges or prosecutors smells of corruption.

If that is a problem, wouldn't the only remedy be to amend the Constitution to take the selection of judges and prosecutors out of the hands of the politicians to whom the founders entrusted that function?

Posted by: cmdicely on March 27, 2009 at 7:29 PM | PERMALINK

Corny again? He's the winner of the all time cheesiest political ad. It's worth watching if you want a good laugh:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt05KC3Add8

Posted by: citizen_pain on March 27, 2009 at 7:47 PM | PERMALINK

As a Texan, I don't mind saying that Cornyn is an enormous embarrassment to an already terribly embarrassed state.

Posted by: Coop on March 28, 2009 at 12:42 AM | PERMALINK

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