Monday, June 27, 2011
Law White House wants new names for federal judgeship
Posted by Max Brantley on Mon, Jun 27, 2011 at 3:34 PM
A spokesman for U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor confirms that the White House wants to start over on potential nominees for a vacant federal judgeship in Little Rock.
The White House has asked for a new list of candidates and the previous candidates have been notified of that decision. A new list will be forthcoming soon. Denise Hoggard, Amy Russell and Chris Heller were originally put forward by Pryor and then-Sen. Blanche Lincoln as potential nominees. Hoggard reached a White House interview and was initially believed the favorite of Lincoln, who was the state's senior senator. More recently, Russell, whose husband was once Pryor's chief of staff, was the subject of background checks. The judicial appointments here have carried an element of controversy from the first because of a push from some quarters for the Obama administration to appoint a black person to the bench.
The Obama administration has filled two judgeships in Arkansas so far, both white males (Price Marshall and P.K. Holmes), and has nominated a white woman, Judge Susan Hickey, to a third seat.
There will be no elaboration, I'm told, on the need for a new list. But I'm also led to understand by more than one person with knowledge of the process that some of those who expressed interest originally will be talked with again. ?!? And might this also mean people considered for an earlier slot, but not chosen, such as Miriam Hopkins and Chip Welch? I don't know.
I should add that selection, background checking, nominating and confirming a judicial appointee before the end of the president's first time becomes iffier with each passing day.
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Comments (9)
Showing 1-9 of 9
Pretty slim pickens eh, Max?
At this point, I'd prefer the rotting carcass of Richard S. Arnold and a magic eight ball to installing another Brian Miller featherweight tomato can to the court.
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I'm thinking of a man who's of African American descent and who has a head full of brains. He graduated with honors from law school and practices in Little Rock. An Arkansas governor once wanted very much to appoint him to the Arkansas Supreme Court, but for reasons of his own, this brilliant lawyer declined. He would, in my not-so-humble opinion, make an outstanding federal judge. This man has been known to blog here from time to time. I would very much like to see him nominated for this post. Moreover, I would hope he would permit his name to be submitted.
I agree Durango. He certainly has the chops, standing and temperament. A real class act.
I agree, assuming it is who I think it is, but you have to realize that all these appointments are political. and it depends a lot more on political connections than legal accomplishments. In the rare occasions, we get a Richard Arnold; at other times, we get a Levinski Smith.
Thank goodness... back to the drawing board indeed. Perhaps we could ask our fellow blogger to suggest some nominees and forward them to Senator Pryor. Lord/Constitution knows he needs all the help he can get in this department.
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