WASHINGTON (AP) – A Senate committee again delayed action
yesterday on the nomination of a Michigan judge to a federal
appeals court.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch made no comment
after delaying for a third time a scheduled vote on the nomination
of Michigan Court of Appeals Judge Henry Saad. President Bush has
nominated Saad for a seat on the 6th U.S. Court of Appeals.
Saad’s nomination process has been a rocky one. U.S. U.S. Sen.
Carl Levin (D-Detroit) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Lansing) attempted to
block a hearing on Saad’s nomination over the summer. They were
angered because former Michigan Sen. Spencer Abraham, a Republican,
had blocked hearings on two of President Clinton’s nominees.
Margarita Tapia, a spokeswoman for Hatch, said he and Levin are
trying to work out a compromise, but she wouldn’t discuss any
details. Stabenow was further angered this month when she received
e-mail comments from Saad that may have been inadvertently sent to
her. In the e-mail, Saad complained about the nomination process
and said, “perhaps some day (Stabenow) will pay the price for her
misconduct.”
Stabenow and Levin sent a letter to White House counsel Alberto
Gonzales on Oct. 4 saying the tone of Saad’s e-mail was highly
offensive.