
Halligan officially withdrawn as nominee to DC Circuit. GOP fillibuster wins. Still zero Obama nominees on DC Circuit.
— @JeffreyToobin via HootSuite
President Obama has officially withdrawn the nomination of Caitlin Halligan to the Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, and says precisely why:
Today, I accepted Caitlin Halligan’s request to withdraw as a nominee for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. I am deeply disappointed that even after nearly two and a half years, a minority of Senators continued to block a simple up-or-down vote on her nomination. This unjustified filibuster obstructed the majority of Senators from expressing their support. I am confident that with Caitlin’s impressive qualifications and reputation, she would have served with distinction.
The D.C. Circuit is considered the Nation’s second-highest court, but it now has more vacancies than any other circuit court. This is unacceptable. I remain committed to filling these vacancies, to ensure equal and timely access to justice for all Americans.
Yes, Mr. President. It is unacceptable. Might I suggest that you have a discussion about that with Harry Reid and some select members of the Senate Democratic caucus who torpedoed real filibuster reform?
If you haven't already, please sign our petition to Harry Reid urging him to reopen rules reform.