Lee Backs Calls for Enforcing “Leahy-Thurmond Rule” on Judges Senator Mike Lee responded to reports that Senate Republicans would begin enforcing the “Leahy-Thurmond Rule,” an historic practice in presidential years when the Senate stops confirming certain judic
PoliticalNews.me - Jun 16,2012 - Lee Backs Calls for Enforcing “Leahy-Thurmond Rule” on Judges
WASHINGTON – Senator Mike Lee responded to reports that Senate Republicans would begin enforcing the “Leahy-Thurmond Rule,” an historic practice in presidential years when the Senate stops confirming certain judicial nominees.
“I am pleased that the Republican caucus has decided to enforce the Leahy-Thurmond rule and cease confirming appeals court nominees until after the presidential election,” said Lee, a member of the Judiciary Committee. “It is particularly important that we do so now in light of the unconstitutional ‘recess’ appointments President Obama made earlier this year. The President must be held accountable for his unprecedented and illegitimate assertion that he may unilaterally determine when the Senate is in session. I join Leader McConnell, Senator Grassley, and others in opposing President Obama’s abuse of power and curtailing additional appellate confirmations between now and the election.”
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Elected in 2010 as Utah's 16th Senator, Mike Lee has spent his career defending the basic liberties of Americans and Utahns as a tireless advocate for our founding constitutional principles.
Senator Lee acquired a deep respect for the Constitution early on. His father, Rex Lee, who served as the Solicitor General under President Ronald Reagan, would often discuss varied aspects of judicial and constitutional doctrine around the kitchen table, from Due Process to the uses of Executive Plenary Power. He attended most of his father's arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court, giving him a unique, hands-on experience and understanding of government up close.
Lee graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science, and served as BYU's Student Body President in his senior year. He graduated from BYU's Law School in 1997 and went on to serve as law clerk to Judge Dee Benson of the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah, and then with future Supreme Court Justice Judge Samuel A. Alito, Jr. on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit Court.
Lee spent several years as an attorney with the law firm Sidley & Austin specializing in appellate and Supreme Court litigation, and then served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Salt Lake City arguing cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.
Lee spent several years as an attorney with the law firm Sidley & Austin specializing in appellate and Supreme Court litigation, and then served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Salt Lake City arguing cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.
Lee served the state of Utah as Governor Jon Huntsman's General Counsel and was later honored to reunite with Justice Alito, now on the Supreme Court, for a one-year clerkship. He returned to private practice in 2007.
Throughout his career, Lee earned a reputation as an outstanding practitioner of the law based on his sound judgment, abilities in the courtroom, and thorough understanding of the Constitution.
Today, Lee fights to preserve America's proud founding document in the United States Senate. He advocates efforts to support
