Senate revives judicial, FEC nominations

By Dana Bash/CNN

May 23, 2000
Web posted at: 11:56 a.m. EDT (1556 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Senate Republicans and Democrats agreed Tuesday to bring up a package of long-stalled presidential nominations, which includes judges and a controversial appointment to the Federal Election Commission.

The Senate will debate and vote this week on a package of 65 of President Bill Clinton's nominations, including the 16 judges who have been approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

In exchange for Republicans allowing votes on judicial nominees, many of whom GOP senators view as too "activist" for lifetime appointments, Democrats agreed to stop blocking the Republicans' pick for the Federal Election Commission, Bradley Smith.

Democrats oppose the nomination of Smith, a law professor at Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio, because he opposes limiting the size of campaign contributions. Democrats say he is, therefore, unfit to serve on a commission set to enforce election laws.

Smith was hand-picked for the six-member panel by Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), a staunch foe of curtailing campaign contributions.

During his confirmation hearing in March, Smith shot back at critics, saying they have no basis for assuming he would not uphold current election laws.

The president sent the Smith nomination to the Senate earlier this year in what White House spokesman Jim Kennedy described as a nod to the tradition of Republicans choosing half the FEC nominees.

Kennedy denied Clinton sent up Smith's nomination as part of a "quid pro quo" for confirmation of his judges, though soon after Smith was nominated, Senate Republicans ended their opposition to some of the president's judicial nominees.

The nomination became an issue on the campaign trail earlier this year, with Vice President Al Gore ultimately releasing a statement urging senators to vote against Smith's appointment.

The Democrats' nominee for the FEC, Danny Lee McDonald, will also come up for a vote, all of which are scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.

Other executive branch nominees slated for votes range from appointees to posts such as Assistant Secretary of State, to slots at the National Science Foundation and the Railroad Retirement Board.