We have a new Solicitor General, which is important because Solicitors General argue before the Supreme Court and thereby gain crucial experience that puts them on everyone’s short list when vacancies to the Supreme Court open up. Donald Verrilli seems like a fine choice and he was easily, if not overwhelmingly confirmed by a 72-16 margin. Only one senator spoke against him from the floor.
Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) was the only member of the Judiciary Committee to vote against Verrilli and the sole senator to speak out against his confirmation from the Senate floor. Sessions said he would forgo the chance to filibuster but opposed the confirmation based on Verrilli’s stated belief that terrorism suspects ought to be tried in civilian courts rather than military tribunals.
“You don’t give them a trial. They are not entitled to lawyers. They are not entitled to go before judges,” Sessions said just minutes before the vote began. “They are prisoners of war and they are held in prisoner of war camps.”
But Sessions added he believed Verrilli to be a “fine lawyer.”
Sen. Sessions forgot to mention the electrodes on the balls.
