Judiciary Committee Votes 10-8 on Sam Alito

Just moments ago, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted on the nomination of Sam Alito.  Not surprisingly, the vote was straight down party lines.  All ten Republican Senators voted in favor of the nomination going to the floor of the Senate; and all eight Democrats opposed the nomination.  Now the nomination goes to the floor of the Senate, and our work really begins.  There has not yet been an agreement as to when the vote will actually take place.

At this point, until we have a confirmed date for the actual up-or-down vote on Sam Alitos nomination, we are witnessing what we call a soft filibuster.  This is a process that stalls the nomination from coming to a vote on the Senate floor.  This is an unacceptable delay tactic and something we will not tolerate.  Our Office of Governmental Affairs and our legal teams are busy at work to ensure a swift up-or-down vote on the Alito nomination. 

We also need your help.  Please click here to add your name to our petition.  We are updating the Senate leadership several times a day as the number of Americans joining our petition increases, in order to urge them to go forward with an up-or-down vote on Judge Alito.  Our goal is for this nomination process to be complete by the end of the week so that Judge Alito is then sworn in on Monday at the Supreme Court of the United States.

This is the critical hour.  As I mentioned in yesterdays post, the Supreme Court has held the case involving partial-birth abortion.  At this point, it looks like they are holding whether they will hear the case pending Judge Alitos confirmation.  With such a significant case, much is at stake.  We will keep you posted as facts warrant during the course of the day.  While I am pleased that Alitos nomination is now out of the Judiciary Committee, I fully realize that the battle for his confirmation has just begun.  Thank you for standing with us!