Jesse J Holland

April 26, 2005 | Law.com

In private talks with Majority Leader Bill Frist, the Senate's top Democrat has indicated a willingness to allow confirmation of at least two of President Bush's controversial appeals court nominees, but only as part of a broader compromise requiring Republicans to abandon threats to ban judicial filibusters, officials said Monday. Speaking on condition of anonymity, officials said Reid has indicated he may permit the confirmation of Richard Griffin and David McKeague for the 6th Circuit.

By David Espo and Jesse J. Holland

5 minute read

February 17, 2005 | Law.com

A former aide to Jesse Helms and a former Interior Department lawyer blocked by Democrats last year will be the subjects of the first judgeship battles of President Bush's second term. The Senate Judiciary Committee plans to begin hearings March 1 for Terrence W. Boyle and William Gerry Myers III, a Republican committee official told The Associated Press. Democrats blocked Myers and nine other appeals court nominees during the first Bush term.

By Jesse J. Holland

4 minute read

February 04, 2005 | The Legal Intelligencer

Alberto Gonzales won Senate confirmation yesterday as attorney general despite Democratic accusations that he helped formulate White House policies that led to overseas prisoner abuse and was too beholden to President Bush to be the nation's top law enforcement official.

By Jesse J. Holland

4 minute read

January 31, 2006 | Law.com

The Senate on Monday all but guaranteed Samuel Alito's confirmation to the Supreme Court, shutting down liberals' last-minute attempt to block the conservative judge with a filibuster. On a 72-25 vote, Republican and Democratic senators agreed to end their debate, setting up a vote this morning on Alito's confirmation to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. With at least 57 votes committed to Alito, approval by majority vote in the 100-member Senate is seemingly assured.

By Jesse J. Holland

3 minute read

August 25, 2005 | Law.com

Two Democratic senators said Wednesday that they want Supreme Court nominee John Roberts to explain before his confirmation hearings why he continued to judge a lawsuit against the Bush administration while being interviewed to be a justice. The senators said Roberts' answers will determine whether they bring the issue up at his confirmation hearings on Sept. 6. White House spokesman Steve Schmidt said Roberts' opponents "are increasingly grasping at straws trying to find a rationale for opposing him."

By Jesse J. Holland

4 minute read

January 05, 2005 | Law.com

Republicans will try for quick action on a measure to end asbestos suits in exchange for a trust fund, incoming Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter said Tuesday. Republicans say Democrats blocked prior bills because trial lawyers don't want to lose money from the suits, but Democrats say the GOP bills didn't provide enough funds to victims. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist also said he plans to push legislation to curb class actions, with the aim of "restoring sanity ... to our legal system."

By Jesse J. Holland

3 minute read

October 23, 2001 | Law.com

Police would be able to secretly search the homes of suspects, tap their phones and track their Internet use under anti-terrorism legislation moving toward final approval in the U.S. House of Representatives. House leaders said the final bill will be voted on today, with Senate approval expected later this week. But the bill may hit a snag on the Senate side as lawmakers tinker with an ethics amendment applying to federal prosecutors.

By Jesse J. Holland

5 minute read

August 25, 2005 | National Law Journal

Two Democratic senators said Wednesday that they want Supreme Court nominee John Roberts to explain before his confirmation hearings why he continued to judge a lawsuit against the Bush administration while being interviewed to be a justice. The senators said Roberts' answers will determine whether they bring the issue up at his confirmation hearings on Sept. 6. White House spokesman Steve Schmidt said Roberts' opponents "are increasingly grasping at straws trying to find a rationale for opposing him."

By Jesse J. Holland

4 minute read

January 26, 2006 | Law.com

Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito took a victory lap in the Senate on Wednesday, accepting congratulations from Republican leaders as lawmakers moved toward confirming him. Alito has enough support from 51 Republicans and Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska to assure his confirmation, and the rest of the chamber's Democrats showed little interest in a filibuster. Alito may be on his way to the most partisan Senate victory for a Supreme Court nominee in years.

By Jesse J. Holland

4 minute read

October 26, 2005 | Law.com

In a sign of the ongoing battle over Harriet Miers' Supreme Court chances, a conservative group opposing Miers announced plans Tuesday to broadcast a TV ad calling for President Bush to withdraw her nomination. Miers is expected to give answers today to a second questionnaire crafted by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Several senators on the committee have criticized Miers' responses to the first questionnaire as vague and incomplete.

By Jesse J. Holland

3 minute read