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Shaheen Blasts Senators Who Put Hold on Judge Carbon

by: Dean Barker

Thu Feb 11, 2010 at 18:43:05 PM EST


Can we declare today to be Jeanne Shaheen Day?

She has just issued a press release absolutely eviscerating the anonymous senators who put a hold on NH's own Susan Carbon, who has been nominated by the President (and cleared by Judiciary, unanimously) to be Director of the Department of Justice's Office of Violence Against Women (OVW).  In part, boldface mine:

I ask that Senators who think about blocking such nominations in the future to imagine what it is like to explain to a nonpartisan, earnest public servant, eager to assume a new position of national leadership, that her confirmation is being blocked because one or two anonymous Senators want a new federal building in their state or a defense contract awarded to a certain company or because they are mad at Attorney General Eric Holder for his position on some other unrelated issue.

These Senators cloaked in anonymity were not punishing Attorney General Holder by blocking Susan Carbon's confirmation. These Senators were punishing the victims of domestic and sexual violence in states across this country. They were punishing the police officers who put their lives at risk every day when they enter homes plagued by domestic violence. They were punishing the community groups that are working to prevent domestic and sexual violence. What these Senators did by blocking the confirmation of the Director of the Office on Violence Against Women for two months was simply and plainly wrong.

W00T! STANDING OVATION, Senator!

(Full release below the fold.)

UPDATE: Looks like one of the people holding up Carbon's nomination was extortionist Senator Richard Shelby.

Dean Barker :: Shaheen Blasts Senators Who Put Hold on Judge Carbon
For Immediate Release
February 11, 2010

Contact: Press Office, 202-224-5553

SHAHEEN: HOLD ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE NOMINEE PUT WOMEN, CHILDREN OF AT RISK

Politics put New Hampshire Judge Susan Carbon's confirmation on hold

(Washington, D.C.)-U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen today took to the floor to condemn her Senate colleagues that placed a two month-long hold, which was finally lifted today, on Judge Susan Carbon's Senate confirmation as Director of the Department of Justice's Office of Violence Against Women (OVW). In December, the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved her nomination.

Shaheen's full statement as prepared follows:

I came down to speak on the Senate floor today because there were Senators who were blocking the confirmation of Susan Carbon, who has been nominated to be the new Director of the Office on Violence Against Women. Susan is from my home state of New Hampshire. For two months, The Office on Violence Against Women was denied leadership and direction not because there are Senators who think Susan Carbon is unqualified for this position, but because they believed blocking her confirmation somehow gains them leverage on completely unrelated pet issues.

I understand, finally, today, after the issue had been raised in the press, that the hold has been lifted.

Blocking the confirmation of Susan Carbon as Director of the Office on Violence Against Women is an example of what's wrong with Washington.

Every two minutes someone in this country is a victim of sexual violence. Every 52 seconds a woman is victimized by a spouse or partner. These crimes devastate victim's lives. They shatter families.  They often create fear in whole communities.   The Office on Violence Against Women leads our nation's efforts to prevent these deadly crimes and to identify, capture and punish perpetrators. The Office on Violence Against Women works with law enforcement, victim advocates, health care providers and others. It provides financial and technical assistance to communities across the country that are working to end domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking. I am sure that every Senator personally knows someone who has been a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault. I am sure that all Senators know how hard their local police and victim advocates work to stop domestic and sexual violence and how much the communities in their states appreciate the assistance they get from the Office on Violence Against Women. I imagine that almost every Senator at one time or another has taken credit for the funding an organization back home gets from the Office on Violence Against Women. Yet, despite a unanimous vote by the Judiciary Committee recommending Susan Carbon's confirmation on December 3rd of last year, unnamed Senators blocked her confirmation for two months.

President Obama's choice to lead our country's efforts against domestic and sexual violence happens to be a state-court judge from New Hampshire.  It might interest the Republican Senators who were blocking her confirmation to know that it was Judd Gregg, the Senior Senator from New Hampshire, who first recognized Susan's capabilities and potential. In 1991 then-Governor Gregg appointed Susan Carbon to be a part-time district court judge. After I became Governor, I appointed Susan to be a full-time judge. Because of her commitment to ending domestic violence and her expertise in family law, she was named the Supervisory Judge of the Family Division, a position she still holds.

Susan Carbon is exceptionally qualified to serve as the Director of the Office on Violence Against Women. She is the leading voice in New Hampshire on domestic violence and family law and has been the driving force behind many of New Hampshire's efforts to strengthen legal protections for victims of domestic violence.  She also has become a national leader on domestic violence. She frequently serves as faculty for the National Judicial Institute on Domestic Violence and she chaired the project which produced the guidebook for professionals in their work around domestic violence court orders. I don't know what political party Susan Carbon belongs to. I do know she is a good and decent person who is anxious to take on the responsibility of leading the Office on Violence Against Women.

I ask that Senators who think about blocking such nominations in the future to imagine what it is like to explain to a nonpartisan, earnest public servant, eager to assume a new position of national leadership, that her confirmation is being blocked because one or two anonymous Senators want a new federal building in their state or a defense contract awarded to a certain company or because they are mad at Attorney General Eric Holder for his position on some other unrelated issue.

These Senators cloaked in anonymity were not punishing Attorney General Holder by blocking Susan Carbon's confirmation. These Senators were punishing the victims of domestic and sexual violence in states across this country. They were punishing the police officers who put their lives at risk every day when they enter homes plagued by domestic violence. They were punishing the community groups that are working to prevent domestic and sexual violence. What these Senators did by blocking the confirmation of the Director of the Office on Violence Against Women for two months was simply and plainly wrong.

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Another example of deprivation under cover of law. (0.00 / 0)
That Senators are employing the strategies of terrorists, kidnappers and child abusers is lower than despicable.  It's cowardly to target an innocent and inoffensive person for the purpose of coercing the behavior of another.  For shame.

The real problem here is the Senate rules. (4.00 / 2)
The idea  that a single senator can place a hold on anything is absurd, and always has been absurd. We have finally reached a point where everything the government does is held hostage and fundamental changes are needed.

One of the reasons that these absurd rules persist is that each senator values the power that it gives them to get what they want. Senators are going to have to each give up some power so that our government can function in the manner that the Constitution provides for. All of these procedural rules that empower minority blocs and individual senators need to be eliminated. While the rules theoretically are voted in at the beginning of a term, the majority party could force a mid term change, just as the Republicans Senators threatened to do with the nuclear option when they thought the democratic mniority might fillibuster radical judicial activists such as Roberts and Alito.

Reducing government to gridlock is simply not acceptable and the Democratic majority will be correctly held to account if they fail to accomplish anything because they refuse to confront the inherent absurdity and anti-democratic nature of the rules. If they arenot going to exercise the power entrusted in them by the people to effect change, then they will have a very unpleasant November.

"But, in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope." Si se puede. Yes we can.  


Exactly right, and Reid wants no part of changing it. n/t (0.00 / 0)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/...

[ Parent ]
Judd Gregg (0.00 / 0)
doesn't delve on the hold, but nonetheless issued a release of high praise for Judge Carbon:

GREGG APPLAUDS SENATE CONFIRMATION OF JUDGE SUSAN CARBON

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) today issued the following statement upon U.S. Senate confirmation of New Hampshire Judge Susan Carbon to be Director of the Office on Violence Against Women at the Department of Justice.

Senator Gregg stated, "Today's unanimous confirmation of Judge Susan Carbon to head the Office on Violence Against Women is a testament to her extraordinary accomplishments in a career dedicated to bringing awareness to and stopping domestic violence.  In this instance, New Hampshire's loss is the nation's gain, as Judge Carbon's confirmation brings to Washington a selfless and tireless advocate for children and families.  I congratulate Judge Carbon on her confirmation and look forward to her leading the effort against domestic violence, sexual assault, and abuse."



All Due Respect (0.00 / 0)
and best wishes on her new position to Ms Carbon, but is there any concern at the federal level for males who are victims of domestic violence?  This office needs a name change.  Denying the fact that men may also be victims trivializes the entire problem.

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