Published August 5, 2010
Elena Kagan’s Supreme Court confirmation vote is today.
Update: Excerpt of a statement from Sen. Brown:
First, let me say that I have a great deal of respect for Elena Kagan. She has an impressive resume, and in my private meeting with her I found her to be brilliant, as you might expect from a former dean of Harvard Law School. However, I cannot vote to confirm Elena Kagan. The reason is simple. I believe nominees to the Supreme Court should have previously served on the bench. Lacking that, I look for many years of practical courtroom experience to compensate for the absence of prior judicial experience. In Elena Kagan’s case, she is missing both. When it comes to the Supreme Court, experience matters.
It’s an easy vote for Brown to make. He appeases conservatives — but does not endanger Kagan’s nomination, which is a sure bet.