Senate votes to confirm judicial nomination

The Senate confirmed one of President Obama’s judicial nominees on Wednesday.

Ronnie White was confirmed in a 53-44 vote to be U.S. District Judge for eastern Missouri.

{mosads}Some Republicans objected to White’s nomination, saying he was an activist judge while serving on the Missouri Supreme Court in the 1990s.

“Justice White misapplied standards of review or considered issues that were not germane to the law when deciding cases,” said Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). “We see Justice White’s personal preferences creeping into what should be straightforward decisionmaking.”

President Clinton nominated White in 1999, but the Senate blocked his confirmation that time.

Earlier Wednesday, the Senate voted 54-43 to end debate on his nomination.

Since Democrats used the “nuclear option” to unilaterally change the Senate filibuster rules last year. They needed only a simple majority to advance White’s nomination. Previously it would have required 60 votes.