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Senate approves Mukasey nomination |
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By Manu Raju
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Posted: 11/09/07 12:08 AM [ET] |
The Senate confirmed Michael Mukasey as attorney general late Thursday, capping three weeks of heated debate over CIA interrogation tactics and giving President Bush a major political victory on Capitol Hill.
Six Democrats and one independent joined a united Republican caucus in voting to confirm the nominee by a 53-40 vote. Democratic Sens. Evan Bayh of Indiana, Dianne Feinstein of California, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Charles Schumer of New York, Thomas Carper of Delaware and Independent Joe Lieberman of Connecticut defied the strong objections of the Democratic base and their party’s leader.
The Senate’s five presidential candidates were absent for the vote, as were Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Republican John Cornyn of Texas.
The vote comes at the end of a tough week for Democrats. In addition to the Mukasey confirmation, a bill to overhaul farm policies stalled and Republicans thwarted Democratic plans by splitting a massive appropriations package they hoped to send to Bush’s desk this week.
The Mukasey nomination grew increasingly contentious as Democrats excoriated the former district judge’s contention that he did not know whether the interrogation tactic known as waterboarding constitutes illegal torture under U.S. laws. Democrats said his equivocation signals that the practice of brutal interrogation techniques would persist and damage the U.S. reputation abroad.
“Judge Mukasey’s answer to the waterboarding question was important in itself, but it also raised for me serious doubts about whether he is prepared to be the truly independent voice that the Justice Department so desperately needs,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said. “If he cannot stand up to the president on such a question of profound importance with a clear legal answer, how can we be sure that he would be more than just another mouthpiece for an administration that treasures secrecy and loyalty above all?”
But Republicans argued that Mukasey was being treated unfairly. They said that Bush had heeded to Democrats’ demands by nominating a consensus nominee after the tumultuous tenure of the previous attorney general, Alberto Gonzales. Mukasey argued that he had not been briefed on the specifics of CIA interrogation techniques.
“After the longest confirmation process in nearly 20 years, the Senate has finally voted to confirm Judge Mukasey as attorney general,” said Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), who chairs the Senate GOP Conference. “The Department of Justice has a vital role to play in the war against Islamic terrorists, and it is critically important that it have a leader who can ensure that it fulfills its mission. Judge Mukasey is this kind of leader.”
Thursday’s vote came as bit of surprise. Earlier in the day, Reid said he was not sure whether there would be a filibuster on the nomination, which would have required 60 votes to break. The majority leader signaled that a vote could even be delayed until after the two-week Thanksgiving recess, which starts at the end of next week.
After the Mukasey vote, the Senate by a voice vote cleared a $459 billion conference report funding the Defense Department with a stopgap measure to keep the rest of the government funded through Dec. 14.
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