Dem lawmaker: White House is being ‘dishonest’

A Democratic lawmaker is accusing the Obama administration of being “dishonest” in the handling of two controversial judicial nominations.

Georgia Rep. David Scott (D) ratcheted up his rare attack on the White House for striking a deal with the Peach State’s two GOP senators. The agreement is aimed at moving a slate of six judicial nominees out of the Senate.

Asked if the administration had been honest in its handling of the process, Scott told The Hill, “I think they’ve been very dishonest in how they’ve been handling this. I represent Georgia and we have been disrespected in this.”

{mosads}Scott takes issue with the administration’s appointment of Michael Boggs and Mark Cohen to the district court in Georgia.

But the White House takes issue with Scott’s accusations, noting the Senate’s unofficial “blue-slip” rule where a single senator can hold up judicial nominations.

In order to fill six open seats on the federal court level, Obama agreed to include Boggs and Cohen.

“The blue-slip rule for judicial nominees has been more problematic than the filibuster because it can act as a silent, unaccountable veto. But given this constraint, our choice is clear: do we work with Republican senators to find a compromise or should we leave the seats vacant? We believe it would be grossly irresponsible for the president to leave these seats vacant,” White House spokesman Eric Schultz said.