Recess appointments

[semperfiona]

Yesterday on Diane Rehm, they were talking about the resignation of Alberto Gonzales, and one of the Republican panelists suggested that the president should use a recess appointment to avoid confrontation with the Senate over his nomination.

I've looked around a bit, and I found some information on the legitimacy of recess appointments, but I still have a question. Can't the Senate refuse to recess and just stay in session, thus forcing the president to deal with them?

Comments

Recess appointments

[kinzokutaka.livejournal.com]

Hmm... I wonder if that would work. Not that I can imagine Senators not taking a fund-raising break...

[stitchinthyme.livejournal.com]

Aren't recess appointments temporary anyway? Though I guess it doesn't matter much since whoever he puts in will only be there until the next administration comes in.

[semperfiona]

They're temporary, in that they last until the beginning of the next session of congress. In this case, that means exactly the same length as an appointment that goes through the Senate for advice and consent: until 1/20/08.