Monday, the senate opened Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Elena Kagan. The grilling of Kagan by senators shouldn't start till Tuesday. The first day of the Elena Kagan confirmation hearings will be spent by members of the Senate Judiciary Committee making their own statements. Remarks that are in favor or opposed to President’ Obama’s nomination of Elena Kagan are expected to be traditional arguments that fall along party lines.
Resource for this article: Elena Kagan awaits grilling; Supreme Court senate hearing begins by Personal Money Store
Elena Kagan’s not a judge
Elena Kagan is Obama’s choice to replace Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens. She has been serving as the administration’s solicitor general, who is the person charged with arguing the administration’s point of view in cases that go before the Supreme Court. Unlike the other current members of the Supreme Court, Kagan has no experience as a judge. However, several of these justices have become members of the Supreme Court without having served as judges, including former chief justice William Rehnquist.
The Republican opposition associated with Elena Kagan
Some analysts have said that Kagan’s lack of experience gives Republicans absolutely no record of decisions to use against her. But it was reported by Voice of America that one of the few straws the Republicans do have to grasp is asking Kagan about her tenure as dean of Harvard University Law School in Massachusetts, and in particular her decision to bar military recruiters on campus because of the U.S. military policy of barring gays from openly serving within the armed forces.
Script must be followed by Senate Judiciary committee hearings
When Kagan sat down before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday, senators stuck to the script. The Associated Press gives us a convenient summary of what to expect from both sides of the aisle. Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, the ranking Republican on the panel, sought to incriminate Kagan with her college thesis on socialism, which he said “seems to bemoan socialism’s demise.” Iowa Republican Chuck Grassley said she’d been a “political lawyer.” Arizona Republican Jon Kyl complained about her choice of judicial heroes. Utah Republican Orrin Hatch wanted to know if she would be controlled by the Constitution or make an effort to control it.
Kagan and also the Democratic counterpunches
Kagan viewed Democrats make an effort to block Republican punches. Patrick Leahy of Vermont called her legal credentials “unassailable.” Dianne Feinstein called her lack of experience as a judge “refreshing.” Russell Feingold spoke of her “thoughtfulness and openness.” Charles Schumer said her “brilliant” record was very clear and complete, declaring: “The only thing as far as I can tell that we don’t have is her kindergarten report card.”
Kagan filibuster is a last resort
Before Kagan speaks, each of the committee’s 19 members will spout their party’s line. USA Today reports that the Democratic majority within the Senate, 58 votes to 41, makes Kagan’s confirmation a slam dunk unless Republicans decide to launch a Kagan filibuster, the last resort of a minority to block a nomination by debating it to death.
Discover a lot more details here:
Voice of America
www1.voanews.com/english/news/usa/Kagan-Supreme-Court-Confirmation-Hearings-Begin-Monday-96990134.html
Associated Press
google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jy6DGVufkhmuT82WvaBTWTrV2a_wD9GKERIO0
USA Today
usatoday.com/news/washington/judicial/2010-06-28-kagan-senate-hearings_N.htm?csp=34news
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