The Senate Republican Communications Center has released a blog displaying historical numbers that prove an unprecedented Democratic delay of the Judge Mukasey Confirmation despite heavy early backing from Democrats on the Senate judiciary commitee.

Click the link above for the full report.

The Wall Street Journal offers a strong response to current demands on Judge Mukasey made by Democrats on the Judiciary Committee of Democrats to declare waterboarding an unconstitutional method of torture.

"Just when you thought someone might be confirmed in Washington without a partisan fight, Senate Democrats are suggesting they may not approve Michael Mukasey as Attorney General after all. The judge's offense is that he's declined to declare 'illegal' an interrogation technique in the war on terror that Congress itself has never specifically banned....

As usual, Congress wants it both ways. The Members want to denounce what they call 'torture,' but the last thing they want is to be responsible if some future detainee knows about an imminent terrorist attack, but the CIA can't get the information because Congress barred certain kinds of interrogation. So they toss their non-specific language into the lap of the executive and say 'You figure it out.'"

Yesterday, the Plain Dealer added it's support for Judge Mukasey's nomination for Attorney General. The editorial stated, "Mukasey is a breath of fresh air. With a distinguished legal career behind him, he appears to be someone who doesn't need the job and wouldn't sacrifice his reputation to keep it" based on his testimony before the Judiciary Committee last week.

However, Democrats on the Committee continue to delay the vote on his nomination, now asserting that Mukasey's answers regarding the use of torture on terror suspects did not satisfy them. The Washington Times reports that in spite of fellow Democrat Sen. Schumer's support and Mukasey's assurances that it is unconstitutional for the U.S. to engage in torture, Sens. Leahy and Durbin want more.

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell issued the following statement on Wednesday after a clear bipartisan majority of the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Judge Leslie Southwick to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals:

“Judge Southwick asked to be judged fairly--to be judged on the facts, to be judged on his record. It is the same standard he has applied to others as a judge, a military officer, and a teacher. It is a standard for which he is well known and admired. Today the U.S. Senate held him to that same standard and a clear bipartisan majority agreed that he is exceedingly qualified to continue serving his country, this time on the Fifth Circuit.”

The RNLA congratulations Judge Southwick and commends Senator McConnell for his hard work in guiding the Senate to confirm this important addition to the federal bench.

With all credit to the Committee For Justice:

Southwick Vote is a Key Test

[Hat tip confirmthem.com]

The statement below of Senate Majority Leader leader Harry Reid last Friday would be hilarious if it is was not on such a serous matter. Reid has promised votes on Judge Southwick since May. Hopeful he will follow through and allow Judge Southwick a fair up or down vote. It will be a complete failure of Reid's leadership if his majority party were to filibuster Southwick.

Mr. REID. I have indicated, Madam President, we have a lot of work to do. The chairman of the Judiciary Committee and I have stated on a number of occasions that on controversial judicial nominations we are not going to move on those until the minority tells us that is what they want to do. One of those nominations is Judge Southwick. That matter was reported out of committee sometime ago, and both Senator Leahy and I have said that when the Republicans tell us they want to move to that nomination, we would do that. So sometime next week I am more than likely going to move to that matter. So I want everyone to know that, in fact, is the case.

Click on the link above for some background on Judge Leslie Southwick. A defense of Southwick is also available here and a slightly outdated version here . The latter is slightly outdated because it was written before Senator Feinstein announced her support of Judge Southwick. Hopefully, other Democrat Senators will agree with Senator Feinstein and support a nominee that should not be controversial.

From the Washington Post:

"Attorney general nominee Michael B. Mukasey said yesterday that he would chart an independent path for the Justice Department ... Mukasey also expressed conservative views on social issues as divergent as obscenity and immigration, saying he would consider more robust prosecution of those caught being in the country illegally.

Most of the committee's Democrats, including Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.), nonetheless repeated earlier predictions that Mukasey will be confirmed easily and with strong bipartisan support. "I'm encouraged by the answers," Leahy told reporters."

Quin Hillyer makes a poignant observation on the conservative support for Judge Mukasey in a 28 September Examiner commentary:

"The vast bulk of the conservative legal establishment, after a little due diligence, actually welcomed the Mukasey nomination even though Mukasey does not belong to its clubs, know its “handshakes,” or have a clear “pro-life” record. ... In fact, almost the entire political right has fallen in line behind Mukasey after its leaders examined his qualifications and intellect. ... numerous essays in conservative outlets last week adjudged Mukasey acceptable not because he reached particular results, but because of the record of his careful attention to procedural detail in complicated cases."

We absolutely agree. Judge Mukasey is the right man to fill a post that will require the legal professionalism demonstrated by the nominee throughout his entire career.

CNN, today, has made a strong case for Mukasey's ability to handle terrorism related law. A CNN article quotes Andrew G. Patel, defense attorney for Jose Padilla, on Mukasey: "He is definitely a law-and-order person... I may not agree with how he ultimately comes out on an issue, but always find that his method of arriving at that decision is intellectually honest."

Hopefully, Senator Leahy, who has continued to express an interest in disrupting Judge Mukasey's crucial nomination, will recognize Judge Mukasey's respect for the rule of law in the same way as the defense attorney for the precedent setting Padilla case. That recognition would certainly bring Senator Leahy closer to both his Republican and Democratic colleagues desire to confirm Judge Mukasey without any political theater.

We could not have said it better. From the Washington Post today:

"It's been more than two weeks since President Bush nominated retired federal judge Michael B. Mukasey for the attorney general's post, and Senate Democrats have yet to schedule a confirmation hearing. They should do so before recessing at the end of this week.

Mr. Mukasey's hearing has been held hostage by Democrats hoping to squeeze the administration for information about its warrantless wiretapping program and its policies on the treatment of detainees in the war on terrorism. When Mr. Mukasey's nomination was announced last month, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.) said this information would help senators to better assess the differences between Mr. Mukasey and former attorney general Alberto R. Gonzales.

Nonsense. Senators have more than enough material to scrutinize Mr. Mukasey's qualifications and views without these documents..."