- Daily Photo: Obama Jokes Around at G-20
- Blackwater gets replaced in Iraq
- Daily Photo: U.S. Marines Look Out for Taliban in Afghanistan
- Hillary Clinton the Tomboy and Her "Ah-Ha" Moment
- Obama Administration Sudan Envoy Headed to Region
- Daily Photo: Potential Flashpoint in Iraq
- Clinton Says New Afghanistan-Pakistan Plan Depends on Diplomacy
- Exclusive: Three Israeli Airstrikes Against Sudan
- Additional 4,000 Troops to Be Ordered to Afghanistan
- Daily Photo: Navy Submarine Trains in the Arctic
- Alarm Over North Korea Missile Prep
- Anti-Terror Stimulus? US Offers Rewards for Top Terrorists
- Daily Photo: Pakistani Women in Refugee Camp
- Condoleezza Rice Appears on "The Tonight Show"
- Diplomat and Aid Group Sound the Alarm on Darfur Camp Situation
- auto industry rescue
- Ballotwatch
- Biden, Joe
- Bush, George W.
- Clinton, Bill
- Clinton, Hillary
- Dodd, Chris
- Edwards, John
- Giuliani, Rudy
- Gravel, Mike
- Huckabee, Mike
- Hunter, Duncan
- Inauguration
- Iraq
- Kucinich, Dennis
- McCain, John
- Obama, Barack
- Palin, Sarah
- Paul, Ron
- Romney, Mitt
- Tancredo, Tom
- Thompson, Fred
- Veepstakes
- Vote 2008: Democrats
- Vote 2008: Republicans
- Washington
- White House
« Previous | Main | Next »
Reid: "Ted Olson Will Not Be Confirmed" as AG
Email
ShareSeptember 12, 2007 3:39 PM
ABC News' Ann Compton, Z. Byron Wolf and Theresa Cook Report: The confirmation battle for the next Attorney General is already heating up -- even before the White House has named a nominee for the post.
ABC News has confirmed that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., told Reuters this afternoon that "Ted Olson will not be confirmed."
Olson, a former Solicitor General and Assistant Attorney General, has emerged as a top contender for the job, but Democrats have charged that his political leanings would influence his work as the nation's top law enforcement official, an accusation that has plagued the Justice Department under current Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.
"He's [Olson] a partisan, and the last thing we need as an attorney general is a partisan," Reid told Reuters.
Presidents George W. Bush and Ronald Regan nominated Olson to his previous positions with the Justice Department, and Olson has served as private counsel to both presidents.
Bush has still not made up his mind on a nominee, and officials have cautioned for days that speculation about Olson may not enhance his chances of being selected. Olson would be a political lightning rod because of his prominent role arguing and winning the 2000 vote count case in which the Supreme Court decided the election in President Bush's favor.
White House Deputy Press Secretary Tony Fratto dismissed Reid's statement, telling ABC News that the President's nominee will be "exceptionally qualified."
"We hope the Senate will set aside partisan politics long enough to confirm a nominee -- for the good of the Justice Department and the country," Fratto said.
Alberto Gonzales' last day in office is Sept. 17; Solicitor General Paul Clement will take over as Acting Attorney General after his departure and will likely remain in the job until a nominee is confirmed by the Senate.
September 12, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (9)
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
Anybody who ever worked for a Republican administration is a "partisan" in the eyes of Dirty Harry Reid.
Posted by: Whatever | Sep 12, 2007 4:09:09 PM
Heh. Yeah, Janet Reno was non-partisan? Standard liberal hypocrisy.
Posted by: Gregor | Sep 12, 2007 4:12:15 PM
Yeah, and Reid, Clinton, Kennedy, Boxer, et. al., AREN'T partisans? Oh, give me a break.
Posted by: jdawg | Sep 12, 2007 4:21:00 PM
Send Olson's name to the Senate. If Reid won't play by the rules and give him an up or down vote; recess appointment.
Harry Reid is not President. Bush needs to remind him of that.
Posted by: Scott | Sep 12, 2007 4:36:19 PM
When JFK made RFK Attorney General, was that "partisanship".....or mere nepotism?
Posted by: alwyr | Sep 12, 2007 4:52:38 PM
Back to the same old obstructionism by the Democrats. I thought we got rid of that puerile behavior when we sent Tom Daschle packing. I guess some things don't die off easily.
Is it small wonder that this Congress has the lowest approval rating since the dawn of polling?
Posted by: ToddonCapeCod | Sep 12, 2007 5:03:56 PM
This creep put the big creep in office, well that's just dandy. This is like a drug cartel, get rid of one, another rat comes up to take it's place. Gee, I certainly hope George won't get upset if he doesn't get his way. He'll have to cry into Laura's pinched nerve neck.
Posted by: Sandra Lea | Sep 12, 2007 5:29:51 PM
BUSH TO BREAK MOLD; APPOINT QUALIFIED PERSON
'Tony Fratto dismissed Reid's statement, telling ABC News that the President's nominee will be "exceptionally qualified." '
Posted by: Vermonster | Sep 12, 2007 7:21:00 PM
Big DEAL - LOOK In THE MIRROR - WE ARE ALL "partisan" to some extent..... So BY Rieds standards.. NO one could ever fill this job... Harry Reid is an IDIOT... he suppose to be confirmed based on his ability to DO THE JOB HARRY... not on his political views... But HARRY we know you are more interested pushing your partisan agenda and playing partisan politicals then actually filling the position..................
Posted by: FidoNY | Sep 13, 2007 3:23:13 PM
Post a comment
