Senate Democrats vowed on Monday to shut down the Senate if Republicans try to push through judicial nominee Bill Myers and other controversial picks.

Democrats have used filibusters to block Myers and other nominees. Republicans, unable to muster 60 votes to break the filibusters, are considering changing the rules to force a majority vote instead.

The effort would affect Myers, the Interior Department's former top lawyer. Dozens of tribes and Indian organizations oppose his nomination for a seat on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which an extremely large number of Indian law cases.

As Interior solicitor, Myers rolled back protections for a sacred site in California without consulting the tribe most affected. He intervened on behalf of a mining company in a dispute with a Nevada tribe. And he argued for a lessened trust responsibility to tribes and individual Indians.

Get the Story:
Senate Work May Come to Halt If GOP Bars Judicial Filibusters (The Washington Post 3/16)
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Blame Is Laid as Senate Sees Rift on Judges (The New York Times 3/16)
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Relevant Documents:
Inspector General Letter | NCAI Resolution | Environmental Group's Letter | Holland & Hart Biography

Indianz.Com Profile:
Industry insider named to Interior (March 30, 2001)

From the Indianz.Com Archive:
Myers reversing sacred site opinion (10/25)
Bush nominee has no 'agenda' on Clinton decisions (6/21)

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