Presidential memo: “Because of partisan delaying tactics by a handful of senators, John was unfairly denied the up-or-down vote that he deserves.”
So poof, John is now Ambassador Bolton.
Naturally the Republican Senate will defend the recess appointment as an honorable act. In itself, that’s fine. But let us take a look at the Republican attitude toward the previous administration’s recess appointments, as well as the urgency of up-or-down votes.
I offer no commentary, just quotes. They do all the talking.
“Senator [James] Inhofe, who has clashed before with Mr. Clinton over such recess appointments, called the president’s latest use of that authority an abuse of power…. Mr. Inhofe today called it ‘outrageously inappropriate for any president to fill a [position] through a recess appointment in a deliberate effort to bypass the Senate.’” New York Times, December 29, 2000
“[Senator Orrin] Hatch chided the president for backing a nominee who, he said, failed to ‘bring all sides together….’ Mr. Hatch said ‘the timing of this [recess appointment] serves as further evidence of what we have come to know is true: The Clinton-Gore White House is intent on dividing our people rather than uniting us for the common good.’” New York Times, August 4, 2000
“Inhofe said Clinton [by making a recess appointment] had ‘chosen a path of confrontation which was totally avoidable.’” Washington Post, January 26, 2000
“‘[One nominee] has been waiting a record 45 months for a vote on his nomination…. [Another] has been waiting almost two years for a vote. The Senate is not doing its job,’ argues Sheldon Goldman, a political science professor at the University of Massachusetts…. “‘These [appointees] are in limbo, and it’s not fair to them.’” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 31, 1999
“Some GOP conservatives were going to block [the nominee] from being confirmed, even though he appeared to have had the votes necessary for confirmation.” Washington Post, June 17, 1999
“When the Democrats controlled the Senate under Presidents Reagan and Bush, many nominees were subjected to lengthy scrutiny and withdrawn. But there was nothing like the disruption being carried out today by restive G.O.P. conservatives.” New York Times, November 14, 1997
“Opponents, including members of the Christian right, reacted angrily and chastised Clinton for circumventing confirmation procedures…. Inhofe said the appointment shows Clinton’s ‘utter contempt of the Senate and its role in the confirmation process,’ and some senators said they would thwart Clinton’s future nominees because of what they consider his disregard for the Senate’s role to ‘advise and consent.’” The San Francisco Chronicle, June 5, 1999
“If Clinton makes a recess appointment, ‘it’s a finger in the eye of the Senate,’ Hatch said. ‘I think you’d find there would be an awful lot of repercussions from that…. I think there’ll be a slowdown on a lot of things from the president. I think you’re going to have difficulty getting judges through. They’re going to have difficulty on the appropriations process. I think there’ll be attempts by some to really let the president know you don’t do this.’” Washington Post, December 15, 1997
“I need respect and cooperation from the administration during the recess period if they expect to have my respect and cooperation after the first of the year,” Senator Trent Lott said. “So I would not expect them to give [a] recess appointment…. It would really poison the well for next year.” Christian Science Monitor, December 4, 1997
“If the President recess appoints him,” Hatch said, “it would be an unfortunate elevation of politics above due respect for the Senate, its procedures and its constitutional responsibilities. It would serve as evidence, in my opinion, that this Administration does not wish to achieve consensus on th[is] difficult issue … but is instead intent on playing wedge politics…. It would be taken very badly by Republicans on Capitol Hill.” New York Times, November 24, 1997
OK, I couldn’t resist butting in just once. Here’s a real gem. Republicans talked about Clinton’s disrespectful, contemptuous ways in the appointment process, but get this:
“The administration, in its eagerness to win Senate confirmation for its nominees [to regulatory agencies], has agreed to let Senate Republicans take the lead in naming candidates for Republican slots.” Washington Post, August 02, 1997.
And we all know what Clinton got for being accommodating.
