Filibuster Fails: Senate Votes 72-25 To End Alito Debate, Confirmation Vote Set For Tomorrow
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WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate all but guaranteed Samuel Alito’s confirmation as the nation’s 110th Supreme Court justice Monday, shutting down a last-minute attempt by liberals to block the conservative judge’s nomination with a filibuster.
Republican and Democratic senators on a 72-25 vote agreed to end their debate, setting up a Tuesday morning vote on his confirmation to replace retiring moderate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.
With at least 57 votes committed to Alito _ 53 Republicans and four Democrats _ approval by majority vote in the 100-member Senate is now seemingly assured.
A bloc of Democrats, led by Massachusetts Sens. Edward Kennedy and John Kerry, unsuccessfully tried over the weekend and Monday to persuade other senators to use a vote-delaying filibuster to stop Alito, a 15-year veteran of the U.S. Appeals Court and a former lawyer for the Reagan administration.
“It is the only way we can stop a confirmation that we feel certain will cause irreversible damage to our country,” said Kerry, the Democrats’ 2004 presidential nominee.
If confirmed, Alito would replace O’Connor, who has been a swing vote on abortion rights, affirmative action, the death penalty and other issues.
Alito’s supporters needed 60 votes to block the filibuster, and they were joined by some Democrats who oppose the judge.
