Adegbile nomination comes down to the wire

We wrote here, here, and here about the nomination of Debo Adegbile to head the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. John put it best:

Adegbile is a race hustler who is best known as the mouthpiece for guilty-as-hell cop-killer Mumia Abu-Jamal. The “free Mumia” movement is one of the most disgraceful episodes in the history of modern leftism, and Debo Adegbile was not just a participant in, but a ringleader of that that contemptible cause.

Now, we’re on the verge of the Senate vote on Adegbile’s nomination. As a result of brand new Senate rules imposed by the Democrats, Adegbile cannot be blocked by Republican votes alone. Unless half a dozen or so Democrats vote no, the race hustler will be confirmed.

Pennsylvania Democrat Bob Casey has said he will vote no. Philadelphia, of course, was the scene of Mumia’s crime and of the disgraceful “free Mumia” movement. It is telling, therefore, that Pennsylvania’s Democratic Senator can’t swallow Adegbile’s confirmation.

Will other Democrats join Casey? Not unless, like Casey, they perceive that doing so will enhance their electoral prospects. Time and time again we’ve seen that the Democratic Senate majority marches in lock-step except where the electoral imperative dictates otherwise. Conscience and considerations of basic decency are never factors.

Fortunately, as Roll Call observes, “several Democrats up for re-election in swing or conservative states might think twice about wading into the hornets’ nest that surrounds Abu-Jamal.” Roll Call cites Kay Hagan of North Carolina, Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Mark Begich of Alaska, Mark Warner of Virginia, and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire. Perhaps Mark Udall of Colorado should also be included, especially now that he is likely to face strong opposition in November.

There’s also the question of whether Republicans will unanimously oppose Adegbile. For once, Lindsey Graham seems unwilling to defer to President Obama when it comes to nominees. Graham too is up for reelection. But Lisa Murkowski is, if anything, more deferential than Graham.

Will Adegbile’s nomination fail? Perhaps. But to me it seems slightly more likely that, with Harry Reid’s blessing, some but not all of the endangered Dems will join Casey in opposition, leaving Reid with just enough votes to confirm Obama’s race-baiting selection to head the Civil Rights Division.

In any event, we encourage constituents of Democratic Senators, especially the endangered ones, to make their views known. Here are some of the relevant phone numbers:

Mark Begich 202-224-3004
Kay Hagan 202-224-6342
Mary Landrieu 202-224-5824
Mark Pryor 202-224-2353
Jeanne Sheehan 202-224-2841
Mark Udall 202-224-5941
Mark Warner 202-224-2023

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