Spineless Democrats roll over for Mukasey confirmation

November 9, 2007

Michael Mukasey was confirmed by the Senate Thursday night, despite complaints from some Democrats about his refusal to brand as torture a controversial interrogation technique known as "waterboarding."

"Some have sought to find comfort in Judge Mukasey's personal assurance that he would enforce a future, new law against waterboarding if this Congress were to pass one," Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont, the Judiciary Committee's chairman said Tuesday.

"Unsaid, of course, is the fact that any such prohibition would have to be enacted over the veto of this president."

The final vote on Mukasey's confirmation was 53-40.

Mukasey, 66, a retired federal judge from New York, will now take over a Justice Department beset by a number of high-level vacancies and congressional investigations. His predecessor, Alberto Gonzales was caught lying to Congress and resigned under fire in September.