WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - An opinion piece from the New York Times editorial board has accused Senate Republicans of undermining the justice system by failing to hold votes on many of President Barack Obama's judicial nominees.
The New York Times said the Senate has confirmed only nine of Obama's nominees since Republicans took over in January, reflecting the slowest pace in more than half a century.
The editorial board specifically cited the case of Judge Luis Felipe Restrepo, who was nominated to a position on the federal Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit a year ago.
Restrepo already sits on the U.S. District Court in Philadelphia and was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee for the appeals court seat in July but it still waiting for a full vote on the Senate floor.
The New York Times said 13 judicial nominees have not received a hearing by the Judiciary Committee and 16 others have been approved by the committee but not received a vote from the full Senate.
'Senate Democrats should make these inexcusable delays a national issue,' the editorial board wrote. 'Mr. Obama, meanwhile, could start selecting judges himself in states like Texas, Alabama, Wisconsin and Indiana, where senators refuse to give him any names at all.'
The board added, 'With each day that passes without a vote on Judge Restrepo and other nominees, Republicans undermine the justice system, and the biggest victims are ordinary Americans who cannot count on fully functioning courts.'
The New York Times said Republicans are blocking votes on highly qualified and non-controversial nominees to vent their anger over Obama's executive actions on immigration and other things.
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