WASHINGTON – Democratic House members from Texas met Wednesday with the top White House lawyer over how to pick federal judges – and they emerged signaling a far diminished role for the state's Republican senators.
Also, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said he may scrap a tradition that lets colleagues block nominees who lack approval from both home-state senators. Texas is one of 14 states with two GOP senators, setting up a clash with the majority Democrats and the Obama administration.
Texas' senators have screened potential judges for the last eight years, and Sens. John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison aren't likely to quietly cede that prerogative, aides and experts on the nomination process said.
President Barack Obama is still filling his Cabinet and hasn't yet picked any judges. When he does, Texas Democrats in the House – which has no formal role in nominations – want as much say as possible.
The administration has not yet spelled out the process to be used for choosing judges in states without a Democratic senator. A White House spokesman said the lunch was a "courtesy call," one in a series Craig is making with lawmakers in both parties, in both House and Senate.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/washington/stories/DN-judges_04nat.ART.State.Edition1.4c5208e.html?npcThere are currently 59 federal judge vacancies. 15 appeals court slots are waiting for Obama to move. :popcorn:
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