Senate confirms Tenth Circuit judge

The Senate voted 90-3 on Monday to confirm Nancy Moritz to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the Tenth Circuit.

Republican Sens. Tom Coburn (Okla.), James Risch (Idaho) and Mike Crapo (Idaho) voted against Moritz’s nomination.

{mosads}Last week the Senate voted 60-38 to end debate on her nominations.

On Monday, the Senate also voice-vote confirmed Peter Selfridge to be Chief of Protocol in the State Department.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has made clearing President Obama’s executive and judicial nominations a priority during this Congress. 

He even used the “nuclear option” to change the Senate filibuster rules limiting Republicans’ ability to block nominees.

Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said that more of President Obama’s judicial nominees have been approved than President Bush’s were at the same point in his term.

“No matter how many judges we confirm some on the other side can’t help but complain about our progress,” Grassley said ahead of the vote. “These complaints just do not ring true.”