President Bush's initial choices for federal judgeships have been under fire since their nominations were first announced in May. Bush says his nominees are outstanding lawyers or judges who share his philosophy of judicial restraint. Liberal interest groups, however, say some of them are conservative judicial activists who want to limit the power of Congress in civil rights, environmental protection and other areas. Prospects for Senate confirmation of Bush's judges are uncertain now that the Democrats control the chamber. Democratic leaders on the Judiciary Committee say they will block the appointment of conservative “ideologues” to the bench. But GOP senators and conservative groups say Democrats are stalling and trying to impose a political “litmus test” on federal judges.

Kenneth Jost is Supreme Court editor, CQ Press; associate editor, CQ Researcher; and author of The Supreme Court Yearbook since the 1992-1993 edition.