Spector Will Back Mukasey

File this under "The More Things Change.  The More They Stay the Same."

And once again we were left with desperately hoping a Republican would bail us out.  More often than not though, we just sank.

Excerpt NY Times report "Committee Republican Backs Mukasey Despite Concerns ":

The lawmaker, Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, joined two crucial Senate Democrats in saying he would back Mr. Mukasey because he has said that if Congress were to pass a law banning waterboarding, a technique that creates the sensation of drowning, “the president would have absolutely no legal authority to ignore such a law.”

“He could have said a lot of things which would have given me more assurances,” Mr. Specter said. “But he is intelligent; he’s really learned in the law. He’s strong, ethical, honest beyond any question.”

The committee is to vote on Mr. Mukasey’s nomination Tuesday.

His confirmation had been in doubt as 5 of the panel’s 10 Democrats lined up against him after he refused to say that waterboarding was illegal. But last Friday, Senators Charles E. Schumer of New York and Dianne Feinstein of California said they would support the nomination.

tags: mukasey  arlen specter  senate  attorney general  nomination heariings  

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