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 t's
August, a time when George W. Bush is touring the heartland, senators
are flying away on junkets, and Gary Condit is planning his re-election
campaign. But back in Washington, inside the offices of the out-of-session
Senate Judiciary Committee, the maneuvering over the president's
judicial nominations goes on.
In a move that surprised many Republicans, chairman Patrick Leahy
has scheduled a special recess hearing on August 27 to consider
two Bush nominees: Sharon Prost, chosen for the Federal Circuit
in Washington, and Terry Wooten, picked for the U.S. District Court
in South Carolina. Neither nominee is controversial. Prost is a
longtime top aide to Senator Orrin Hatch, now the ranking Republican
on the committee. Wooten also worked for the committee's GOP staff.
Both are expected to be confirmed easily.
"It's
rare," to hold an August confirmation hearing, says Leahy spokesman
David Carle. "It's unprecedented, at least since 1989."
Carle says Leahy decided to hold the recess hearing to help make
up for delays caused by the change of power in the Senate.
But some in
the GOP are wondering: Why now? "These nominations could have
been done in the last hearing," before the August recess, says
one Republican aide, noting that it would have been routine to bundle
both nominations into hearings held for Eighth Circuit Court nominee
William J. Riley.
But Republicans
are in no position to protest. Having complained loudly about the
Democrats' slow-motion handling of Bush nominees, they can't start
kvetching when Leahy finally schedules a hearing. "It's not
something we asked for, but we're grateful," says the GOP aide.
"Anytime we see the president's nominees moving, that's a good
sign," says another.
So score one
for Leahy. This fall, when he is delaying action on first-tier Bush
nominees like Miguel Estrada, the chairman can easily defend himself
against charges of foot-dragging. "We're doing everything in
our power to consider the president's choices," Leahy might
say. "Why, I even scheduled a hearing during our August recess
to handle nominations."
Republicans
will be reduced to saying, "Yes, but..." They'll explain
that of the eleven federal court nominations the White House sent
to the Senate in May, exactly one — Democrat Roger Gregory — has
been confirmed. As for the rest, the wait is on. All the paperwork
has been done and they're ready to go — whenever Patrick Leahy says
so.
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