Russ Feingold: “I voted no on cloture, and I will vote no on the nomination of Priscilla Owen to be a judge on the U.S. Circuit Court of…”

“I voted no on cloture, and I will vote no on the nomination of Priscilla Owen to be a judge on the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit Court. I would like to take a few minutes today to explain my votes. I also would like to make a few comments on the events that led up to these votes. I strongly oppose the threat of the nuclear option. I believe this was an illegitimate tactic, a partisan abuse of power that was a threat to the Senate as an institution and to the country. Attempting to blackmail the minority into giving up their rights that have been part of the Senate's traditions and practices for centuries was a new low for a majority that has repeatedly been willing to put party over principle. Unfortunately, the blackmail was partially successful. While I do applaud the efforts of the Senators who worked hard to broker an agreement, the end result is that three nominees who do not deserve lifetime appointments to the judiciary will now be confirmed. The agreement reached by our colleagues states that filibusters should be reserved for extraordinary circumstances. For me, that has always been the test. I think Democrats have stuck to that standard in blocking just 10--just 10--out of the 218 nominations of President Bush that have been brought to the floor. A number of very conservative and very controversial nominees have been confirmed by the Senate. Jeffrey Sutton, now a judge on the Sixth Circuit, was confirmed by a vote of 52 to 41.…”