Journal of Civil Rights and Economic Development Volume 7 Issue 1 Volume 7, Fall 1991, Issue 1 Article 26 Supreme Court Appointments After the Thomas Nomination: Reforming the Confirmation Process Joseph Faria David Markey Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.law.stjohns.edu/jcred This Note is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at St. John's Law Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Civil Rights and Economic Development by an authorized editor of St. John's Law Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. SUPREME COURT APPOINTMENTS AFTER THE THOMAS NOMINATION: REFORMING THE CONFIRMATION PROCESS The Judicial Appointments Clause of Article II of the Federal Constitution establishes that the President "shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint .... Judges of the supreme Court .... .' This language has been variously interpreted over time.2 Champions of a strong ex- U.S. CONST. art. 11, § 2, cl.2. This clause provides in its entirety: He Ithe Presidenti shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Con- gress may by law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of the department.