Republicans extortion tactics on Holder nomination continue

By virtue of the good graces of the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and a Democratic majority in the Senate, Eric Holder will get a vote on his nomination for Attorney General in committee tomorrow.

But at least one Senator is planning to try to bring the process to a screeching halt: John Cornyn of Texas.

The question Republicans want answered before Holder is confirmed: Will you prosecute those who took part in that torture?

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said that he would block committee proceedings, scheduled to resume at 2:30 pm on Wednesday, if he did not receive answer from Holder. "I'm not going to allow things to proceed," he said. He added that it was "physically impossible" for Holder to get the answers to him by then, thus assuring a conflict would ensue.

Pure and simple, some Republicans on the Judiciary Committee are extorting the President of the United States, by their willingness to allow Holder to be confirmed in exchange for some sort of guarantee that crimes committed by the Bush Administration will go unpunished. It is flagrant disregard for the rule of law. You have to wonder if Senator Cornyn took his oath of office seriously (you know, that part about "supporting and defending the Constitution"). Perhaps, like the swashbuckling Captain Jack Sparrow, Cornyn has had a few too many (terms, that is) and thinks the Constitution "just be guidelines", only to be followed when it is to his benefit.

Senator Arlen Specter, the ranking minority member of the Judiciary Committee, announced earlier today that he will vote to confirm Eric Holder as Attorney General. Another Republican on the committee, Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah, had indicated earlier that he would support Holder's nomination. In following up on the story earlier today, I exchanged email with a staffer for Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), who is also a member of the Judiciary Committee. While the staffer noted that they can't predict what tactics Senate Republicans will use to try to hold up or derail this nomination, they expect Eric Holder to be confirmed.

Kudos to Senator Whitehouse for calling out his Republican colleagues over the seedy tactics they have used with respect to this nomination. Eric Holder will likely be confirmed, but asking nominees to ignore the rule of law in the name of political expediency is never acceptable. Thankfully, we have people like Sheldon Whitehouse looking out for our interests.