Republicans are critical of Democrats’ use of the filibuster to prevent Bush judicial appointments. Apparently, they have short memories.
By: Hank Kalet
Republicans are in a bit of a snit these days over Senate Democrats’ unwillingness to release two Bush judgeships to the full Senate for a vote.
The Republicans are claiming the Democrats are violating the Constitution by using Senate filibuster rules to keep the nominations from getting to the full floor, where they are likely to be approved by a straight party-line vote.
While it is an interesting argument, it is one steeped in hypocrisy. As E.J. Dionne Jr. explains in his column in The Washington Post, the GOP’s "assault on Senate Democrats for using filibusters to block those two circuit court nominees Estrada and Texas State Supreme Court Judge Priscilla Owen is inconsistent with the GOP’s own past behavior on presidential nominations."
So there it is again, hypocrisy in action, brought to you by your friendly, national Republican Party.

