Chairman, Third Branch Conference
Former aide to Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee and counsel to former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist; chair of the Third Branch Conference, a coalition working to influence nominations to the federal courts
The US Supreme Court and Partisan Politics The first morning of Judge Sonia Sotomayor 's confirmation hearings for the US Supreme Court began and ended without her uttering a single word. Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee held forth at length, starting with Democratic Chairman Patrick Leahy.
The US Supreme Court and Partisan Politics The first morning of Judge Sonia Sotomayor 's confirmation hearings for the US Supreme Court began and ended without her uttering a single word. Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee held forth at length, in a debate they conceded was more about politics than the law. Democrats called her a "moderate" with a classic American story. Republicans said her "empathy" for one side means prejudice against the other. They raised hot-button issues including women's rights, the death penalty and affirmative action. We hear about the first day of hearings on a nominee who's widely expected to be confirmed. Are both parties in the business of setting agendas?
The longest US war: Will Trump send more troops to Afghanistan? The Trump White House is divided over the Pentagon's request for more troops in Afghanistan—where the US has been fighting for the past 16 years. Is there a formula -- either for "victory" or a political settlement? Is there an end in sight for America's longest war?
How was the trip? President Trump's travels got less fun as he went from the Middle East to Europe.
Trump's 'America First' goes missing abroad In the Middle East, President Trump is changing some policies of the Obama Administration—and reversing his own campaign attacks on Islam as a religion that "hates us." We hear about his visit to Saudi Arabia and what's at stake for the rest of his foreign excursion.
Ex-FBI Director Comey tells his side of the story Today, former FBI Director James Comey came close to calling the President who fired him a liar. The White House denied the claim and called it insulting, but Republican Senators did not challenge Comey’s truthfulness. Many questions remain: did the President try to obstruct a federal investigation? Later, we’ll go behind the “velvet rope” for a look at 5-Star health care for the richest Americans.