Sen. Richard Shelby (R., Ala.) is coming under fire today from White House officials for blocking Senate approval of 70 Obama administration nominees for top federal jobs. Shelby’s “blanket hold” is part of a political effort to force presidential action on the Air Force refueling-tanker fight in Alabama. (A $35 billion contract was awarded to Northrop Grumman and Airbus last year to build tankers in Mobile, Ala., only to be voided after Boeing filed a bid protest.) Shelby’s holds are within Senate rules — any senator can place a hold — but a hold on all of an administration’s nominees is relatively rare. Senate majority leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.), for one, has used the tactic in the past:

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., is increasing pressure to have one of his aides confirmed to a top post at the federal agency that will decide the Yucca Mountain Project. Reid confirmed Monday that he will put a blanket hold on all of President Bush’s nominees for executive branch positions except for judges and defense appointees.

Then-senator Obama also used holds for political purposes. One senior Republican Senate aide tells National Review Online that “if anyone thinks the issue of temporary holds on federal bureaucrats has political significance they need to take a trip outside the Beltway as soon as they can. Turns out people are more concerned with their own jobs.”