http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/ en Copyright 2012 Fri, 06 Aug 2010 12:53:00 GMT http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification The Senate's final vote to confirm Elena Kagan for the Supreme Court was notably partisan, and it was punctuated by a kerfuffle between Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., who was presiding over the Senate, and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. Franken was making faces during McConnell's remarks about Kagan before the vote. McConnell confronted him afterward and Franken subsequently apologized. Kagan received five fewer votes than Sonia Sotomayor did last year, though Kagan's nomination drew less interest and criticism than Sotomayor's. Republicans attributed increased opposition to Kagan largely to her lack of a judicial record, her White House background and past http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2010/08/vote-on-kagan-underscores-conf.php http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2010/08/vote-on-kagan-underscores-conf.php Fri, 06 Aug 2010 12:53:00 GMT The Senate on Thursday confirmed Elena Kagan for a lifetime seat on the Supreme Court mostly along partisan lines, 63-37. The margin was narrower than the one for Sonia Sotomayor a year ago (68-31). Kagan earned five GOP supporters -- Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Judd Gregg (N.H.), Richard Lugar (Ind.) and Olympia Snowe (Maine). None of the five are facing re-election this year. One Democrat, Sen. Ben Nelson (Neb.), voted against Kagan. Read more at Hotline On Call. http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2010/08/kagan-confirmed-6337.php http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2010/08/kagan-confirmed-6337.php Fri, 06 Aug 2010 12:47:46 GMT The Senate opened debate today on the Supreme Court nomination of Elena Kagan, with Judiciary ranking member Jeff Sessions leading the GOP opposition. Kagan is unfit to sit on the high court, Sessions argued, because her approach to judging is "inconsistent with the classic American view of a judge, one who shows restraint, follows the law, adjudicates matters before the court and who is objective and fair." He also took aim at her opposition to "don't ask, don't tell" and how it affected her actions as dean of Harvard Law School. Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl, another senior GOP Judiciary http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2010/08/senate-kicks-off-debate.php http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2010/08/senate-kicks-off-debate.php Tue, 03 Aug 2010 20:07:41 GMT The Senate today kicks off debate on Elena Kagan's Supreme Court nomination as Republicans, buoyed by an unexpected Democratic "no" vote, argue for opposing Kagan over social issues. Democratic aides had said debate on Kagan would likely not start until Wednesday evening after votes on other issues. But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Monday said the Senate instead will start debate today, but it will likely be interrupted by votes on other matters. Doing so will allow Democrats to say they granted several days of debate sought by Republicans. Republicans have seized on Friday's announcement by Sen. Ben Nelson, http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2010/08/gop-makes-last-appeal-against.php http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2010/08/gop-makes-last-appeal-against.php Update Tue, 03 Aug 2010 17:46:42 GMT Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., announced today he will vote to confirm Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court next week, saying her qualifications warrant confirmation. He is the fifth Republican to announce support for the nominee, joining Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine, Richard Lugar of Indiana and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. All five voted to confirm Justice Sonia Sotomayor last year. In a statement, Gregg said the confirmation process requires senators to "to put aside politics and conduct a frank and evenhanded review of the nominee's record, qualifications and demonstrated ability to apply the law in a http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2010/07/gregg-voting-yes.php http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2010/07/gregg-voting-yes.php Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:05:04 GMT Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, today became the fourth Senate Republican to announce she will vote to confirm Solicitor General Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court. That GOP backing all but assures Kagan's confirmation in a vote next week since Democratic opposition is unlikely. "Throughout my tenure in the Senate, I have applied a uniform standard for evaluating nominees for the United States Supreme Court, under both Republican and Democratic administrations," Snowe said in a statement. "I find that Ms. Kagan has met that standard with the strong intellect, respect for the rule of law, and understanding of the important but http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2010/07/snowe-to-vote-yes.php http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2010/07/snowe-to-vote-yes.php Update Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:51:32 GMT Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, on Friday became the third GOP senator to announce she will vote to confirm Elena Kagan. "Having analyzed her record, questioned her personally, and reviewed the Judiciary Committee's hearings, I have concluded that Ms. Kagan should be confirmed to our nation's highest court," Collins said in the statement. Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Richard Lugar, R-Ind., have also announced support for Kagan's confirmation, which appears assured in a vote expected in the first week of August. "In previous posts, Ms. Kagan has taken positions that I oppose," Collins said. "It appears that her personal opinion on http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2010/07/collins-to-vote-yes.php http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2010/07/collins-to-vote-yes.php Fri, 23 Jul 2010 22:16:01 GMT Senate Republican Conference Chairman Lamar Alexander said today that he will vote against confirming Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court because of her decision to limit military recruiters' access to students as dean of Harvard Law School. "I remain deeply troubled by her aggressive opposition to allowing military recruiters the same access to Harvard Law School as other prospective employers," Alexander said in a statement. Alexander's position was in question because, while most of his conference is set to oppose Kagan, the Tennessee senator last year voted to confirm Sonia Sotomayor to the high court, citing her qualifications. But Alexander, http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2010/07/alexander-to-vote-no.php http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2010/07/alexander-to-vote-no.php Update Fri, 23 Jul 2010 17:07:03 GMT The Senate Judiciary Committee approved Elena Kagan's Supreme Court nomination today, 13-6, clearing the way for debate and a vote in the full Senate. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina was the only Republican to join the panel's 12 Democrats in voting yes. Read Hotline On Call for more and an updated whip count. http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2010/07/judiciary-committee-approves.php http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2010/07/judiciary-committee-approves.php Tue, 20 Jul 2010 16:46:00 GMT Hotline On Call's latest whip count for shows Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa., prepared to vote yes on Elena Kagan's nomination despite voting against her confirmation as solicitor general last year. Read more here. http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2010/07/specter-to-vote-yes.php http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2010/07/specter-to-vote-yes.php Thu, 15 Jul 2010 17:00:00 GMT Sen. John Cornyn of Texas today became the 11th Republican and second Judiciary Committee member to announce plans to vote against Elena Kagan's Supreme Court nomination. As he did during the Judiciary Committee's hearing, Cornyn again faulted Kagan for overly cautious answers. "Ms. Kagan's testimony about her judicial philosophy was vague and open to multiple interpretations," Cornyn said in a statement. "She was unable to articulate limits on the federal Commerce Clause power. She did not rule out overturning the Supreme Court's recent decisions recognizing the importance of the Second Amendment." http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2010/07/cornyn-becomes-11th-no-vote.php http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2010/07/cornyn-becomes-11th-no-vote.php Wed, 14 Jul 2010 20:50:54 GMT The Senate Judiciary Committee will not vote Tuesday on the nomination of Solicitor General Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court, GOP aides said today. Republican senators will use the ability of any committee member under the panel's rules to put off a vote for one week, several aides said. They said committee Republicans want more time to review the nomination. Kagan returned written answers to questions for the record submitted by senators on Friday. "The committee will need time to review her responses" said a GOP staffer. The vote on Kagan cannot be delayed again, meaning the panel will likely http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2010/07/panel-to-delay-kagan-vote.php http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2010/07/panel-to-delay-kagan-vote.php Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:22:26 GMT Sen. Mike Johanns, R-Neb., said today that he will vote against confirming Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court. Johanns, who is not on the Judiciary Committee, becomes the ninth GOP senator to announce plans to oppose Kagan. "After thoroughly reviewing her record and listening to remarks at her hearing, I have come to the conclusion that I cannot support Ms. Kagan's nomination," Johanns said. "Judges must adhere to the Constitution and must not interpret the law based on an activist, ideological agenda. The court is not a place to create laws, and I am not convinced Ms. Kagan understands this http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2010/07/johanns-voting-no.php http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2010/07/johanns-voting-no.php Thu, 08 Jul 2010 21:28:00 GMT While Solicitor General Elena Kagan's confirmation to the Supreme Court is widely assumed, Senate Republicans are erecting what barriers they can in a bid to highlight differences in judicial philosophy with Democrats. Outnumbered by five votes on the Judiciary Committee, Republicans cannot block Kagan there. But they will likely use their power to delay the panel confirmation vote that Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., set for July 13 until July 20, Republican aides said. That will prevent a floor vote until the last week of July or first week of August. Last week, GOP senators moved quickly to announce opposition http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2010/07/gop-solidifying-against-kagan.php http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2010/07/gop-solidifying-against-kagan.php Tue, 06 Jul 2010 18:54:18 GMT Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., today scheduled a July 13 committee vote on Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan. Committee Republicans are expected to exercise their right to delay the vote to July 20. The panel is likely to confirm Kagan on a mostly party-line vote. http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2010/07/kagan-vote-slated-for-july-13.php http://ninthjustice.nationaljournal.com/2010/07/kagan-vote-slated-for-july-13.php Fri, 02 Jul 2010 19:47:11 GMT