Rand Paul vows to filibuster Obama’s judicial nominee due to controversial drone memos

WASHINGTON, D.C.– Fourteen months after his now famous “filiblizzard”, Senator Rand Paul vowed last Thursday to oppose David Baron, Obama’s nominee for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

“I shall not only oppose the nomination of David Barron, but will filibuster,” Paul stated.

The Senator’s misgivings stem from two classified opinions Barron authored concerning the 2011 case of Anwar al-Awlaki, a U.S. citizen who became an Islamic extremist. During Barron’s time with the Justice Department, the Harvard law professor rationalized the drone strike, even though al-Awlaki had no trial or legal representation.

Some of these memos were shown to the U.S. Senate at the urging of Paul and other senators troubled by the thought of Barron being appointed to an office “one level below the Supreme Court.”

The contents of the memo are still classified to the public, but Paul insists he is “not satisfied” that Americans not engaged in combat are protected under the Fifth Amendment.

The ACLU has echoed this sentiment, sending a letter to everyone in the Senate urging them to read Barron’s memos before appointing him to the court.

Paul’s efforts will likely have little impact due to Harry Reid’s bombshell proposal last year to diminish the power of the filibuster. Now a simple majority vote can move along judicial nominations, excluding to the Supreme Court.

A Senate Democratic leadership aide revealed to Business Insider that “Sen. Paul isn’t relevant” because Barron’s nomination relies exclusively on the Senate Democrats.

White House lawyers were sent in last week to assuage any fears the Senate Democrats may feel over approving someone who defended a civil liberties violation. Unsurprisingly, Barron is gaining support.

[about_faith]

1 comment

Leave a Comment