Washington – Several prominent Democratic senators called for a filibuster of Samuel Alito’s Supreme Court nomination Thursday, exposing a deep divide in the party even as it delighted the party’s liberal base.
The filibuster’s supporters – who include Massachusetts Sens. John Kerry and Edward Kennedy – acknowledged the bid is likely to fail and Alito will be confirmed Tuesday.
They said extended debate may draw more Americans’ attention to Alito’s conservative stands on abortion, civil rights, presidential powers and other matters.
“Continuing to threaten a filibuster, even after it is crystal clear that Democrats don’t have the necessary votes to sustain their obstruction, is needless, strange and at odds with many of their fellow Democrats,” Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said.
Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said the Senate will vote Monday afternoon to end debate and vote Tuesday morning on whether to confirm Alito to succeed retiring Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.
At least three Democrats – Sens. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., and Tim Johnson, D-S.D. – have said they will vote to confirm Alito. Others have said they would not support a filibuster, regardless of how they vote on confirmation.
Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., repeatedly told colleagues this week that he wanted to avoid a filibuster, party members said.
He looked frustrated in the Senate chamber Thursday as he told Frist he could not avert the parliamentary tactic. Shrugging his shoulders, Reid said he hoped “this matter will be resolved without too much more talking, but … everyone has the right to talk.”
Colorado’s senators joined in the debate over Alito, taking to the Senate floor to explain their differing views.
“I believe Judge Alito will move the Supreme Court too far to the conservative side of American jurisprudence,” Democrat Ken Salazar said in his speech Thursday.
He plans to vote against Alito’s confirmation, saying the judge’s “judicial philosophy will … dangerously increase executive power, injuring the checks and balances built into our Constitution.”
His Republican colleague, Wayne Allard, said he’ll vote for Alito, saying in his speech Wednesday that Alito “has the experience, intellect, temperament and integrity required of a Supreme Court justice. He has more judicial experience than any Supreme Court nominee in 70 years.”
Allard said Alito’s record “evidences a deep respect for the separation of powers and other fundamental principles envisioned by our founding fathers.”
Denver Post staff writer Anne Mulkern contributed to this report.
