Dems delay vote on controversial judge nominee again.

Repeated Delays Suggest Michael Delaney May Not Have the Votes Needed for Confirmation

The confirmation vote for Michael Delaney, one of President Joe Biden’s most controversial judicial nominees, has been delayed yet again. Despite appearing on the Senate Judiciary Committee’s agenda, Delaney’s name was skipped over at the beginning of the meeting. This suggests that he may not have the votes needed for confirmation.

A Controversial Nominee

Delaney has faced several hiccups since his nomination in January, largely due to his mishandling of a civil case involving a 15-year-old sexual assault victim. During the case, Delaney represented an elite boarding school and motioned to strip the victim, Chessy Prout, of her anonymity. Prout and her parents were in attendance at the judiciary committee hearing on Thursday.

Left-wing groups have also called on Senate Democrats to oppose Delaney’s confirmation due to his work with a conservative-leaning think tank. Additionally, the Washington Free Beacon reported that Delaney omitted his role in New Hampshire’s largest Ponzi scheme on a Senate questionnaire.

Republicans and Democrats Speak Out

Republicans on the committee, including Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R., Tenn.), noted the lack of a confirmation vote and accused Democrats of hypocrisy for considering Delaney’s nomination despite his controversial record. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D., Calif.) was also in attendance, which is notable as Democrats had paused most votes for judicial nominations when she was absent due to illness.

However, the fact that Democrats did not hold a vote on Delaney suggests that he has run up against problems within his own party. Blackburn asked Democrats to oppose his confirmation, and the delay in the vote may indicate that they are listening.

Conclusion

Michael Delaney’s nomination to the First Circuit Court of Appeals has been controversial from the start, and repeated delays suggest that he may not have the votes needed for confirmation. With both Republicans and Democrats speaking out against him, it remains to be seen whether Delaney will ultimately be confirmed.