Justice Department nominee remains in limbo after Senate vote

Source: The Washington Post

Republicans in the U.S. Senate voted Monday to block President Obama’s choice for the No. 2 position in the Justice Department, leaving the nominee in an official limbo that has already lasted months.

James M. Cole, a Justice Department veteran turned white-collar defense lawyer, was nominated for the post of deputy attorney general last May. But Republicans objected, citing, among other concerns, Cole’s previous support for trying international terrorism suspects in U.S. criminal courts.

On Monday, 353 days after his selection, Senate Democrats tried to force a final vote on Cole’s nomination.

But their bid fell short of the 60 votes needed to overcome a Republican filibuster threat: the tally was 50 to 40, with 10 senators absent and not voting. Thirty-nine Republicans voted “no,” and only one — Sen. Richard G. Lugar (Ind.) — voted “yes.”

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/justice_department_nominee_is_left_in_limbo/2011/05/09/AFrzW7bG_story.html

Don't we have the majority in the Senate? Don't we have 60 Senators?

"The Senate has 51 Democrats; 2 Independents, who caucus with the Democrats;
and 47 Republicans."


ON EDIT: Yes we have a slim majority, no we don't have 60.

ETA: And January 2011 was even worse.

a lot of hard fights lost.. especially the judiciary, not to mention warrantless wiretapping, wars, Gitmo, on and on. And we're still fighting these fights. f%&k.

...and leaving senior posts unfilled for years on end.