A vote to end debate on the nomination of Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court will be held today at 4:30 pm. In order to succeed, Republicans supporting Alito’s nomination must garner 60 votes to invoke cloture, or end debate and move the nomination to a floor vote. If successful, Senate Republican Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) has scheduled a full floor vote for tomorrow at 11 am.
The filibuster against Alito is being led by Massachusetts Democratic Senators Ted Kennedy and John Kerry. “This filibuster is historically important because it is sending a message to the President Ñ people will not tolerate his packing of the Supreme Court,” said Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority.
“It’s no secret that Judge Alito was chosen to please the extreme right wing of the Republican party after that same faction opposed the nomination of the President’s own White House counsel [Harriet Miers],” said Senator Kennedy. “President Bush knew when he chose Judge Alito that he would be a polarizing figure. He selected him for that reason. For the same reason, the Senate must stand on principle and oppose his confirmation.”
TAKE ACTION Urge your Democratic Senators to filibuster Alito!
GET THE INSIDE SCOOP with The Smeal Report and the New Leif blogs at MsMagazine.com
