The latest report is that the Wall Street reform bill will extend into next week, with a final vote on Tuesday. Today, there are votes expected on a number of amendments, including two of note: Sen. Franken’s amendment, which has bipartisan support, to reform the credit rating agencies; and Sen. Leahy’s amendment that would, wait [...]

One positive feature (OK, this isn’t so positive) of a Supreme Court fight is that the formidable Supreme Court commentator cottage industry gets to ramp up again. Conservative groups raise a mint off a Court fight; most of it goes to enrich movement conservatives and little else. So now we get to see folks like [...]

Republicans, still not finished with their temper tantrum, have blocked committee hearings across the Senate today, invoking a little-known rule requiring unanimous consent to holding hearings after 2:00pm. Among the hearings cancelled is the confirmation of Goodwin Liu to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Pat Leahy released this statement: Senate [...]

Via Greg Sargent, the Senate’s most committed civil libertarian, Russ Feingold, calls on the President not to give in to Republican fearmongering and to hold the KSM trial as scheduled, in an Article III court: “We have a great track record of successfully trying and convicting terrorists in civilian courts. The military commission system is [...]

The vote to block Craig Becker from a position on the National Labor Relations Board, which “lost” by a count of 52-33, angered some longtime Senate Democrats, who would be needed to eventually change the Senate rules. “I’m in my thirty-sixth year. I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Judiciary Committee Chairman Pat Leahy (D-Vt.), [...]

Patrick Leahy made the official announcement that he would file an amendment to the Senate health care bill that would repeal the insurance industry’s anti-trust exemption. Leahy introduced the Health Insurance Industry Antitrust Enforcement Act in September. Leahy chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, which held a hearing about the legislation in October. The bill is [...]