EDITORIAL: A new abuse of confirmation
Advocate (excerpt)

With a fine flair for the dramatic, the most virulently anti-Obama elements of the Louisiana delegation in Congress have denounced his “unconstitutional” decision to name several key officials to agencies that Republicans don’t like.

The agencies won’t function without new appointees — a head of the new agency to protect consumers in the financial markets, and the National Labor Relations Board. But a minority of senators earlier blocked Senate confirmation of the names President Barack Obama had put forth.

“Troubling” and “disturbing” said U.S. Sen. David Vitter, R-La. U.S. Rep. Jeff Landry, R-New Iberia, called it “an abuse of the recess appointment process.” But the indignation of both depends on whether in fact, constitutionally, the Congress was actually in a recess. The Senate has refused to give an up-or-down majority vote on confirmation of appointees.