In the News: Reid Plans to Move Judges

Only 5 judges have been confirmed thus far in 2012 – despite the fact that over ten percent of judicial seats are vacant and people around the country are waiting for justice. In a Politico article today, it was reported that “Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is privately warning Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) that he may take extraordinary steps to move a laundry list of stalled nominees if the two men can’t reach a deal soon …” Negotiations were reportedly focusing on 14 nominees, and it was reported that, “As of earlier this week, McConnell had offered to give consent on only three of the judges, sources say.” In fact, after the article was posted, the Senate announced that votes on two nominees will take place next Tuesday. But that leaves 12 of those reportedly under discussion still waiting for their votes to be scheduled (and there are 6 more nominees, by the way, who have been approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee this year).

The 12 remaining nominees reportedly under discussion were approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2011 but have not yet received votes. Eleven of them were voted out of committee with overwhelming bipartisan support – with only one “no” vote among them (the 12^th nominee was approved by the committee along party lines). In addition to their strong qualifications and broad base of support, it should be noted that the confirmation of these nominees would continue to increase the diversity of the federal bench. Of the 12 nominees, 6 are women. Among them: Gina Groh, a nominee to a federal district court seat in West Virginia. Two female circuit court nominees, Stephanie Thacker (also of West Virginia) and Jacqueline Nguyen of California, would increase the gender diversity of the Fourth and Ninth Circuits if confirmed. In addition, Jacqueline Nguyen, currently a district court judge in California, would be the first Asian-American woman on a U.S. court of appeals.  Several other nominees would add racial or ethnic diversity to the federal bench, and one nominee is openly gay.

The nominees under discussion would fill vacancies in federal courts in a number of states, including California, Louisiana, New York, Nevada, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia. One district court seat in West Virginia, to which Gina Groh has been nominated, has been vacant since December 2006. People in those states, and around the country, have waited long enough. Contact your Senators and urge them to make sure the Senate votes on judicial nominees.