Fourth time's a charm? Today in Washington, the Senate Judiciary Committee recommended Judge Edward M. Chen for a federal judgeship. Again. Members of the committee voted 10-8 on a party line vote, with all Democrats voting in support of Judge Chen's nomination and all Republicans opposing: New hope for stalled S.F. judicial nominee.President Obama first nominated Chen to the U.S. District Court in August 2009. Facing Republican opposition, Democratic leaders have not brought him up for a Senate floor vote, and Obama has renominated him twice. This time, he could actually have a shot, with a glimmer of hope coming from his most outspoken Republican opponent:
Chen's chief sponsor, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said Thursday she had spoken three times with Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., "virtually pleading for a vote on the floor." Sessions, formerly the committee's ranking Republican member, replied that the nomination had been caught up in a partisan dispute.Judge Chen has waited longer than any other judicial nominee for a confirmation vote. Isn't it about friggin' time the full Senate finally takes up his confirmation and hold a vote? He is an exceptional nominee with a long record of service and has proven himself as a valuable legal mind. No more delays.
"I'm of the view that if he's moved out of committee again, he should get a vote at some point," Sessions said.
In past hearings, Sessions has described Chen as "outside the mainstream" and suffering from "the ACLU chromosome." Sessions' own nomination for a judgeship died in 1986 after the Judiciary Committee heard testimony that he had referred to the ACLU and the NAACP as "un-American" and "communist-inspired."
Feinstein called Sessions' comments Thursday "a step forward."
