A number of U.S. senators have been expressing their deep concern [1] about the damage [2] being done to our nation by GOP partisan obstruction of judicial nominees. Yesterday, Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico pointed out [3] that when Republicans controlled the White House and Senate, they were demanding floor votes for any nominee clearing the Judiciary Committee:
The arguments my colleagues and I make today—that judicial nominees who have been approved by the Judiciary Committee deserve a vote by the full Senate—are the same arguments my Republican colleagues made when President Bush's nominees were held up by a Democratic minority.
Of course, when Bush was president, Democrats blocked only the most extreme circuit court nominees, a handful of nominees whose elevation to the nation's federal appellate courts could do grave damage to our country. In contrast, Republicans are obstructing every single one of President Obama's nominees – even district court nominees with unanimous committee support.
What we are seeing from Senate Republicans is not a policy based on principle, but one based solely on partisan interests. Unfortunately, it is putting our nation's courts at risk and denying justice to millions of Americans.