by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

For giving a bigot and a homophobe a lifetime appointment and a federal pension.

Senate Republicans scored a key victory Wednesday with the confirmation of Leslie Southwick to the New Orleans-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit.

A united GOP conference convinced enough Democrats to cross party lines to first clear a procedural hurdle and then succeed in the confirmation vote. Southwick has been arguably the most contentious judicial nominee of the 110th Congress up to this point, amid strong opposition from Democratic leaders and liberal groups. Senators had invoked cloture in a 62-35 vote and, minutes later, confirmed Southwick on a 59-38 vote.

So three cowardly Dems pulled the Lieberman and changed their vote from "yes" to "no" after cloture, so they can go home to their states and claim that they opposed Southwick.  Which won't matter a lot to the defendants in the 5th Circuit, who will endure the judge's politically motivated opinions for decades.

Dianne Feinstein is the most responsible Senator for this travesty, having voted Southwick out of committee after getting sweet-talked by Trent Lott.  Howie Klein has more.

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Remember Leslie Southwick? Well, in case you forgot, he's the guy who wrote that children should be removed from gay parents. Oh, and W appointed to him to be a federal judge. Yup, that guy. If you recall, DiFi is basically the only reason his nomination got past the judiciary committee. She broke ranks with the other Dems and voted in support of the nominations with her conservative bretheren in the Republican party. Yay DiFi, thanks for tossing the LGBT community under the bus again. You really have a knack for it.

Well, once you recall all of that, the other important news is that the nomination is coming up for a floor vote very soon. And our old pal DiFi is going around telling other Senators that she's getting no negative comments about Leslie Southwick at ALL! Everybody loves Leslie! Except, that's not really the case. Her own staffers, and other senators, seem to be surprised given the news from the real world that she's getting lots of mail about this. 

The good folks at FireDogLake, have some ideas on what to do. Namely, make sure that DiFi hears a loud and clear message that this vote stunk then, and it stinks now.  Oh, and there will be a presser next Tuesday. I'll try to be there. Mailing info blatantly ripped off from FDL over the flip. 

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

I got an email from the Human Rights Campaign, in general not one of my favorite organizations because of their ineffectiveness.  But this one was entitled "Not Fit to Serve" and it piqued my curiosity. So, I clicked on over, and somewhat unexpectedly it was about the confirmation proceedings for Leslie Southwick. Southwick is an anti-gay, possibly racist judge from Mississippi that was appointed by W to the regional federal appeals court for his home state. (5th Circuit) 

A couple of weeks ago, Dave told you about DiFi's odious vote in support of Southwick at the committee level.  Well, the vote is back up in the full chamber of the Senate. So, please, give her office(s) a call. Here's her contact page. Call her. Email her. Fax her. Do a combination of the three. Whatever. Let her know that her vote was wrong, and is still wrong. 

Over the flip you'll find her press release about her vote on this one. It might make you uncomfortable knowing that this was a Democrat who wrote this one, but it's true. Let her know that she was just wrong.

by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

This is really irksome, especially because we're in the majority now and there's no need to confirm these right-wing reactionary activist judges.

Feinstein just voted to confirm a judge who thinks children should be removed from gay parents. And she wonders why so many Democrats hate her.

Republican supporters of Leslie Southwick had a huge victory today when a moderate Democrat, Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California broke with her party to vote for the Mississippi judge's nomination to the federal bench.

Feinstein had been heavily lobbied by the nominee and Mississippi Sens. Thad Cochran and Trent Lott, both Republicans, as well as the White House.

My relationship with Di-Fi waxes and wanes.  Her leadership on the US Attorney scandal and closure of Guantanamo was admirable.  And then she goes and pulls something like this.  Leslie Southwick has no business being a federal judge.  There's no argument for her to be one.  Yet this move burnishes moderate credentials and creates a chit that Di-Fi can call in later.

Not happy right now...