Elena Kagan, who had served as the solicitor general in the Obama Justice Department was confirmed on Thursday afternoon, August 5, as an associate justice on the U.S. Supreme Court. She replaces Justice John Paul Stevens, who announced this spring that he was retiring from the high court.
Senators at Kagan’s confirmation hearings spent a significant amount time discussing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and marriage issues. Despite that, she was voted out of the Senate Judiciary Committee and floor debate on her nomination happened throughout this week.
Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) announced the 63-37 vote, in which five Republicans voted in support of the nomination, saying: “The nomination is confirmed.”
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