Heidi Alexander: “I thank the distinguished Chairman of the Judiciary Committee for his courtesy in allowing Senator Corker and me a…”

“I thank the distinguished Chairman of the Judiciary Committee for his courtesy in allowing Senator Corker and me a chance to speak about Judge Fowlkes from Tennessee. I do not intend to get into a lengthy dispute with the Senator from Vermont about the relative merits of the two political parties approving judges. But I do have to admire his persistence and creativity in always coming up with a way in how Democrats approve more Republican judges than Republicans approved Democratic judges. I notice that our ranking member, Senator Grassley, will put a statement in the Record today making a clear statement about what the record is. But if I may borrow from that: Today's vote will be the 152nd nominee of President Obama confirmed to district and circuit judges. We have also confirmed two Supreme Court nominees during President Obama's term. The last time the Senate confirmed two Supreme Court nominees was during President Bush's second term. During President Bush's entire second term, the Senate confirmed a total of only 119 district and circuit court nominees. With Judge Fowlkes' confirmation today, we will have confirmed 33 more district and circuit nominees for President Obama than we did for President Bush in similar circumstances. That is according to Senator Grassley's comments, which will be printed in the Record.…”