Democrats abort deal on Alito vote

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Senate Democrats have scrapped a "good-faith" agreement they made two months ago to allow the Judiciary Committee to vote today on the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Samuel A. Alito Jr.

"This is a new low in our confirmation process," said Sen. John Cornyn, Texas Republican. "Not only because it is virtually unprecedented, but also because it reflects a breach of trust."

According to Judiciary Committee rules, either party can stall a nomination in committee for only one week, meaning that Judge Alito's nomination will likely be approved by the panel during an executive committee meeting next Tuesday.

The entire Senate will take up the nomination no later than Jan. 25 and will remain on it until Judge Alito's nomination is voted up or down, said Eric Ueland, chief of staff for Majority Leader Bill Frist.

"Justice delayed will not be a justice denied, as Sam Alito will receive a fair up-or-down vote and join the Supreme Court before month's end," he said. "Any remaining threats to filibuster are just filibluster."

Although Democratic leaders have not ruled out an attempt to filibuster the nomination, such a maneuver seems increasingly unlikely.

Still, conservatives were furious that Senate Democrats "reneged" on their agreement to vote Judge Alito out of committee in time for a full Senate vote on Friday.

"You know it's an election year in Washington when people try things like this," said Joseph Cella, president of Fidelis, a conservative Catholic-based organization. "The Democrats are going through these gyrations of block and delay for the liberal interest groups who butter their bread."

Under the terms of the November arrangement presented to reporters by Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter and ranking Democrat Patrick J. Leahy, Republicans agreed to conduct the confirmation hearings after the holidays and Democrats agreed to allow a committee vote on the nomination today.

The only conditions for violating the agreement mentioned at the time by Mr. Leahy was "if something extraordinary comes up that neither Senator Specter nor I anticipate or expect."