Filibuster reform did its work Tuesday night (with an assist from Sen. Ted Cruz), leading to the Senate
confirming 12 of President Obama's judicial nominees to district courts. Obama has now had 305 district court and circuit court judges confirmed, with this last group coming in at the very end of the Senate's lame duck session, as senators were itching to get home. The fact that Majority Leader Harry Reid had time to get in all of these votes was, of course, thanks in part to Sen. Ted Cruz having an extended Saturday temper tantrum over immigration. Without that:
"Votes would have dragged into next weekend or later and we ... likely would've been forced to cut loose more people than we wanted to," said Reid spokesman Adam Jentleson. "End-of-Congress jet fumes are the most powerful variety and they would have robbed us of some critical nominees. Now, not so, thanks entirely to Senator Cruz."
Cruz continues to deny responsibility, but he should be proud. Usually he only stands in the way of things, whereas here, for once, he helped get something done.