Senate Pulls All-Nighter over Obama Nominees

The Senate is churning through a round-the-clock session over President Barack Obama's nominees, the latest chapter in the chamber's saga of partisan warfare.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) speaks at a press conference on the nomination of Nina Pillard, one of U.S. President Barack Obama's judicial nominees (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Fuming over the Democrats' new limits on filibusters, Republicans are refusing to give up debate time over 11 nominations that Majority Leader Harry Reid is trying to muscle through this week. So Reid has set the Senate in continuous session through Saturday, unless Republicans relent. There was no sign of that happening.

Early Thursday, the Senate confirmed the first of those nominees, voting 51-44 to confirm Cornelia "Nina" Pillard to the influential D.C. Circuit Court.

The Senate also is slated to consider Jeh Johnson, Obama's pick to head the Homeland Security Department. The nominations don't appear to be in jeopardy despite the infighting.

Source: Senate Pulls All-Nighter over Obama Nominees

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