# Senator Menendez and the blue slip **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 10, 2012, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-menendez-and-the-blue-slip/609085 "2012-01-10T21:54:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-menendez-and-the-blue-slip/609085/1 "2012-01-10T21:54:58Z")
Senator Robert Menendez has blocked the nomination of Patty Shwartz to the US Court of Appeals. The reason? Well, no apparent reason, but her S.O. was in charge of the corruption unit that investigated the Senator. So, just in case Obama doesn’t have his hands full with obstruction from the other side of the aisle, here comes a Senator from his own side. Senator, you’re slime and you’re doing yourself and your party no favors with this revenge crap. Story here: [http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/10/opinion/senator-menendezs-missing-blue-slip.html?ref=opinion](http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/10/opinion/senator-menendezs-missing-blue-slip.html?ref=opinion) He has some sort of vague misgiving about her knowledge of constitutional law. :rolleyes: The bar has given her their highest possible grade. And, while I’m at it, I further pit the stupid senate rules that allow a single senator to pull this crap. What a bunch of maroons! (How’s that for pit-quality ranting?) ---
**Author:** ![Foggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foggy/32/1082_2.png) [@Foggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foggy)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-menendez-and-the-blue-slip/609085/2 "2012-01-10T22:35:41Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > What a bunch of maroons! (How’s that for pit-quality ranting?) Well it is the Pit, so you should say ‘What a bunch of \*\*fucking \*\*maroons!’😃 ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-menendez-and-the-blue-slip/609085/3 "2012-01-10T22:59:24Z")
He can go join Governor Asshole in the scmuck department: > [@](#): > > [Chris Christie responds to female hecklers with offensive oral sex joke. [VIDEO]](http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2012/01/09/chris_christie_responds_to_female_hecklers_with_offensive_oral_sex_joke_video_.html) > > On Sunday, Jan. 8., New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was speaking at a Romney for President rally in New Hampshire when he was interrupted by some female hecklers. It’s difficult to make out exactly what Christie’s critics were yelling, but it’s something to do with jobs going down. Ever the class act, Christie’s response: “You know, something may be going down tonight, but it ain’t going to be jobs, sweetheart.” Corzine was dreadful. Torricelli was forced step down. McGreevey was so afraid to tell voters he was gay he allowed himself to be blackmailed over it. Christie is crude and incompetent. What the hell is with the pols of this state? Is it just too much to ask to ask that our elected reps look less corrupt than Tammany Hall or less crude than Snooki and the Kardashians? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-menendez-and-the-blue-slip/609085/4 "2012-01-10T23:10:07Z")
> [@LavenderBlue](#): > > He can go join Governor Asshole in the scmuck department: > > Corzine was dreadful. Torricelli was forced step down. McGreevey was so afraid to tell voters he was gay he allowed himself to be blackmailed over it. Christie is crude and incompetent. What the hell is with the pols of this state? Is it just too much to ask to ask that our elected reps look less corrupt than Tammany Hall or less crude than Snooki and the Kardashians? Do pols meeting that standard ever run? And do they win? If they don’t win, it’s the people’s fault, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-menendez-and-the-blue-slip/609085/5 "2012-01-10T23:49:36Z")
One of my favorite political quotes was from former NJ governor Brendan Byrne, “When I die I want to be buried in Hudson County so I can remain active in politics.” Senator Menendez is a prime example of Hudson County politics. Whatever he does will never surprise me. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-menendez-and-the-blue-slip/609085/6 "2012-01-11T02:28:10Z")
> [@](#): > > …Snooki and the Kardashians? Band name! ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-menendez-and-the-blue-slip/609085/7 "2012-01-11T03:35:44Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Band name! God, please no. I remember when Menendez was running, and it was a few years after the Menendez brothers were on trial for killing their parents. That was an unfortunate name, thought I. They’d probably let the nominee through, though. Fun fact: The Menendez brothers are from Princeton, NJ! I just love my adopted state. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-menendez-and-the-blue-slip/609085/8 "2012-01-11T06:23:24Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > So, just in case Obama doesn’t have his hands full with obstruction from the other side of the aisle, here comes a Senator from his own side. Senator, you’re slime and you’re doing yourself and your party no favors with this revenge crap. Setting aside the very important issue of legal or illegal corruption… This isn’t at all the same sort of obstructionism. For years it was understood that the Senator from state X had enhanced powers to review nominees from state X. Judge Patty Shwartz hails from New Jersey. I say this because Republicans really pushed the envelope on obstructionism, blocking nominees far outside their individually traditional purviews, without proposing or nudging forward alternatives. I’m sure Menendez wouldn’t have a problem with a judge that he didn’t have a personal vendetta on. You can pit the business-as-usual corruption though. I don’t have a problem with that. Also Menendez needs to get a better excuse than, “Doubts about her knowledge of constitutional law”. The Bar Association gave her highest marks. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-menendez-and-the-blue-slip/609085/9 "2012-01-11T11:51:59Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > Setting aside the very important issue of legal or illegal corruption… Well, right, I’m pitting him because: 1. He’s putting a personal vendetta against the nominees _partner_, not even the nominee herself, ahead of country and party. 2. This vendetta really does raise issues of corruption 3. I just don’t like the guy And, this senate rule is terrible. I know every state has corruption problems, but NJ has to be among the worst. A couple of years ago, there was a statewide sweep where they busted politicians from all over the place. And, our senators seem to be completely powerless. Gah! ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-menendez-and-the-blue-slip/609085/10 "2012-01-11T12:56:33Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > Setting aside the very important issue of legal or illegal corruption… > > This isn’t at all the same sort of obstructionism. For years it was understood that the Senator from state X had enhanced powers to review nominees from state X. Judge Patty Shwartz hails from New Jersey. I say this because Republicans really pushed the envelope on obstructionism, blocking nominees far outside their individually traditional purviews, without proposing or nudging forward alternatives. I’m sure Menendez wouldn’t have a problem with a judge that he didn’t have a personal vendetta on. > > You can pit the business-as-usual corruption though. I don’t have a problem with that. Also Menendez needs to get a better excuse than, “Doubts about her knowledge of constitutional law”. The Bar Association gave her highest marks. Seems to me you are excusing him due to your political bias. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-menendez-and-the-blue-slip/609085/11 "2012-01-11T14:52:20Z")
He’s not excusing him. He’s just saying he should be pilloried for something slightly different. Has Menendez actually said what these presumably imaginary “doubts about her knowledge of constitutional law” might be? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-menendez-and-the-blue-slip/609085/12 "2012-01-11T16:56:19Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > For years it was understood that the Senator from state X had enhanced powers to review nominees from state X. My understanding is that it is done as a “courtesy,” but I don’t see that it benefits the public at all. The president should get to nominate whom he wants to the federal bench, without giving special deference to particular senators. The Senate needs to end the right of individual senators to put holds on things (especially anonymously).