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Wednesday, April 01, 2009

Law - "Storm Clouds Gather Over Obama Nominees "

Some quotes from an article today in the NY Times, by Neil A. Lewis:

WASHINGTON — Although the parties have changed places, the nomination wars continue. * * *

The current Republican focus is on a pair of nominees: Mr. Obama’s first selection for a federal appeals court seat, David F. Hamilton, and his choice to head the Office of Legal Counsel at the Justice Department, Dawn Johnsen. (By coincidence, the two are in-laws.)

Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, the Judiciary Committee’s ranking Republican, has complained that the Democrats are moving too quickly to consider Mr. Hamilton, a federal trial judge in Indiana since 1994. The committee has set for Wednesday the confirmation hearing on Judge Hamilton, who was nominated only in mid-March.

But the attacks on the nomination of Ms. Johnsen, who is married to Judge Hamilton’s brother, have been more severe. Ms. Johnsen, a law professor at Indiana University, was an unsparing critic of memorandums, written by lawyers at the Office of Legal Counsel in the Bush administration, that said the president could largely ignore international treaties and Congress in fighting terrorists and that critics have portrayed as allowing torture in interrogation.

Here are some quotes from Senator Lugar's introduction statement today for Judge Hamilton at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing:
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for this opportunity to join my friend and colleague from Indiana in introducing Judge David Hamilton, whom the President has nominated to serve on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Senator Bayh and I are proud that President Obama’s first judicial nominee is from our State, and that he has chosen to elevate such an exceptionally talented jurist to the Federal appellate bench.

I first had the pleasure of introducing David Hamilton to this Committee almost 15 years ago, when he was nominated to the Federal district court. I said then that “the high quality of his education, legal experience, and character well prepare him for this position,” and expressed my belief that “his keen intellect and strong legal background will make him a great judge.” This confidence in David Hamilton’s character and abilities was shared by all who knew him, regardless of political affiliation, throughout Indiana’s legal and civic communities. Judge Hamilton’s distinguished service on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, of which he is now the Chief Judge, has more than vindicated that faith.

I have known David since his childhood. His father, Reverend Richard Hamilton, was our family’s pastor at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Indianapolis, where his mother was the soloist in the choir. Knowing first-hand his family’s character and commitment to service, it has been no surprise to me that David’s life has borne witness to the values learned in his youth. * * *

Finally, permit me to thank my colleague from Indiana on the thoughtful, cooperative, merit-driven attitude that has marked his own approach to recommending prospective judicial nominees from our State. The two most recent examples are his strong support for President Bush’s nominations of Judge Tinder for the Seventh Circuit and of Judge William Lawrence for the Southern District of Indiana. I am confident Senator Bayh and I will continue to approach nominations by President Obama in the spirit that brings us before you today.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on April 1, 2009 03:50 PM
Posted to Courts in general