A vote on Yale Law School Dean Harold Hongju Koh’s nomination to the post of legal adviser to the Department of State has been delayed indefinitely in the Senate, sources familiar with the situation told the News this week.
Two Senate aides, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the delicate nature of confirmation votes, said that at least one senator had placed a “hold” on Koh’s vote. A hold is an informal practice in which senators express to the leadership that they may filibuster a bill, usually preventing it from coming to the floor until certain concessions are made.
Regan Lachapelle, a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, would not confirm that a hold has been placed but said that the Democratic leadership is working to get an agreement to consider Koh’s nomination.
Sen. Jim DeMint, Republican of South Carolina, reportedly placed a hold on Koh’s confirmation in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, but that only lasted a week. It has been three and a half weeks since Koh’s confirmation was reported out of that committee.
The Senate returned from Memorial Day recess on Monday and is expected to adjourn for Independence Day recess on June 26.
(Photo: Grant Smith/Photography Editor)