Wednesday, January 8, 2003 Posted: 1:02 PM EST (1802 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Senate Democrats vowed Wednesday to block the elevation of Charles Pickering to a federal appeals court, one day after President Bush renominated the Mississippi judge and 30 others who had failed to win confirmation under the previous Democratic-controlled Senate.

"I'm prepared to do everything I can to stop the nomination of Justice Pickering," said Sen. Charles Schumer, D-New York, who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee. "We can do a lot better."

Bush renominated Pickering, Priscilla Owen of Texas and the others late Tuesday, only hours after the new Senate convened -- with Republicans in control. With the GOP in the majority, Bush has a better chance of moving his judicial nominations through, but Democrats can filibuster and block nominations that way.

The renomination of Pickering came as a surprise to many Washington insiders after speculation that Pickering's name would not turn up again following the recent Trent Lott firestorm.

Lott was forced to resign as Senate majority leader last month after making comments that many people saw as expressing support for segregation.

Pickering -- a Mississippi native and friend of Lott's -- was rejected by the Senate Judiciary Committee last March on a 10-9 party line vote.

Civil rights advocates and many Democrats criticized him as racially insensitive and questioned whether he would uphold civil rights.

Democrats returned to those themes Wednesday and pointedly raised references to the Lott controversy.

Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Illinois, cited the "painful reflection" brought on by Lott's comments. more

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2003