AP reports: "WASHINGTON -- After a monthslong blockade, Senate Republicans have agreed to let at least 19 of President Barack Obama's non-controversial judicial nominees win confirmation in the waning days of the congressional session in exchange for a commitment by Democrats not to seek votes on four others, according to officials familiar with the deal."
The AP only cites Goodwin Liu, nominated to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) last week identified the other three to The National Law Journal: Edward Chen, nominated to the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California; Louis Butler Jr., nominated to District Court for Wisconsin; and John "Jack" McConnell, the Motley Rice partner and Democratic contributor nominated to the District Court for Rhode Island.
Robert Chatigny, nominated to the Second Circuit, has not been reported out of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
UPDATE (Tuesday, 10 a.m.): News coverage:
- WTAQ, "Ex-State Supreme Court Justice Butler Won't Get Fed Judgeship"
- LifeNews.com, Democrats Give Up on Votes for Obama's Pro-Abortion Judges"
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Senate deal cuts Butler from federal judgeship vote"
- Los Angeles Times, "Senate judicial confirmations skip 2 California nominees"
- Providence Journal, "Time running out on judicial nominee"