It's happened. The first of the federal appeals court judges that had been blocked by a Democratic filibuster has been confirmed. She will leave the Supreme Court in Texas and join the US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals which is based in New Orleans and covers Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. The Fifth is already, along with the Fourth Circuit, one of the nation's most conservative appeals courts, and the addition of Judge Owen would seem to just strengthen that orientation (since both her supporters and detractors consider her to be a staunch conservative). The vote in the Senate was a largely party-line affair with just 3 senators not voting with the majority of their caucus. Democrats Robert Byrd (WV) and Mary Landrieu (LA) voted to confirm Judge Owen while Republican Linc Chafee (RI) voted against her. All 3 were members of the so-called "Gang of 14" that made the deal that averted the use of the "nuclear option". Chafee's vote is just the second time a Republican senator has voted against a G.W. Bush appeals court nominee (Trent Lott of Mississippi voted against Judge Gregory who now sits on the Fourth Circuit).
Posted by armand at May 25, 2005 07:33 PM | TrackBack | Posted to Law and the Courts