Recess appointments

Obama Recess Appointments A Rebuke To GOP For Stalling, Blocking Key Nominees

Brian Beutler | March 29, 2010, 3:05PM

President Barack Obama

The GOP attacks on President Obama's decision to offer recess appointments to 15 stalled nominees--including labor lawyer Craig Becker, whose confirmation was successfully filibustered earlier this year--were swift, and predictably harsh. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called it "a purely partisan move that will make a traditionally bipartisan labor board an unbalanced agenda-driven panel."

This is hardly the first time that the opposition party has decried a President's decision to recess appoint nominees--Democrats were likewise furious at many of Bush's nods. But there important differences between the two episodes. Despite facing record obstruction, Obama has until now refused to use his recess appointment power, to the chagrin of many of his own supporters. By invoking his power, Obama's signaling to Senate Republicans that they can't delay or block him from staffing up his administration and expect to get away with it.

Read more »

Barack Obama

FLASHBACK: Bush Recess Appointed 7 of 9 NLRB Members

Brian Beutler | February 11, 2010, 12:16PM

President Barack Obama

On Tuesday, the Senate GOP--with the support of Democrats Ben Nelson (D-NE) and Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)--successfully filibustered the nomination of Craig Becker to serve a term on the National Labor Relations Board. All told, because of snow-related absences, 33 senators were able to block the confirmation of a nominee who had the support of a significant majority of members. That has many in Washington asking: Will President Obama offer Becker a recess appointment? Obama has thus far been reluctant to exploit that tool--but if he does, he can point to the record of his predecessor, President George W. Bush, who recess appointed seven of his nine NLRB nominees.

Some of Bush's NLRB nominees were Senate confirmed, including Peter Hurtgen and Peter Schaumber who each served multiple terms, including one under a recess appointment. But the vast majority were able to circumvent the standard process.

According to records kept by NLRB, the list of Bush's NLRB appointees--including both recess appointments and confirmations--is as follows.

Read more »

Ben Nelson

Ben Nelson Helps GOP Block Obama NLRB Nominee

Evan McMorris-Santoro | February 9, 2010, 8:55AM

Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE).

Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) will join with Republicans to block cloture on a nominee for the National Labor Relations Board that President Obama has sent to the Senate. In a statement yesterday, Nelson lashed out at the nominee, Craig Becker, saying he'll "pursue an aggressive personal agenda" on the board.

Becker's nomination has been controversial among conservatives and Republicans since it was announced. The right views Becker's past as an SEIU lawyer as a harbinger that he'll take pro-labor stances that Republicans and business leaders have long viewed with trepidation.

In his statement yesterday, Nelson lent his voice to those concerns, citing Becker's past statements that Republicans have used in their campaign against the nominee.

Read more »