Robert Menendez

Menendez Calls On GOP To Get Back To Work On Judicial Nominees

June 14, 2012

Washington – U.S. Senator Robert Menendez today called on Republicans to stop blocking four of President Obama’s qualified judicial nominees and give them an up or down vote.  Senate Republicans announced that they are invoking the so-called “Thurmond Rule” to arbitrarily block any further votes on the President’s circuit court nominees this year, despite continued high vacancies in the federal courts.  The Republican move would block Judge Patty Shwartz, who was nominated to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals and supported by Menendez, Senator Lautenberg and Governor Christie, as well as Richard Taranto for the federal circuit, William Kayatta for the First Circuit Court of Appeals and Robert Bacharach for the 10^th Circuit Court of Appeals.  All were approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee. 

“It is ridiculous that Republicans are arbitrarily blocking all judicial nominees from this point forward,” said Menendez. “With sky-high vacancies on the bench, how can Republicans stop working on nominations only six months into the year? I call on those Republicans who have joined with Democrats in the past to come forward and help get us back to work.  These highly qualified judges deserve an up or down vote on the Senate floor now.”

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