George Holding, the Republican-appointed U.S. attorney for North Carolina's eastern district, expressed some angst over changes in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, which includes North Carolina.
Holding was attending the conservative Federalists Society annual convention in Washington last week when he stepped to the microphone to ask a question of U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, a Republican from Alabama, National Law Journal reports.
"I'm concerned about the changing makeup of the 4th Circuit," said Holding, who was appointed by then-President George W. Bush.
Sessions said he was bothered by the criminal case rulings of a Maryland nominee but indicated Republicans are not eager to block many judges.
"We've resisted filibusters of judges, thinking it's not a good idea," Sessions said.
The White House has announced four nominees for the 4th Circuit, based in Richmond, Va., two of whom are from North Carolina.
Holding is due to be replaced by a Democratic appointee, as is routine when a different party takes over the White House, but U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, a Democrat, has suggested Holding stay to finish investigations of former Gov. Mike Easley and former U.S. Sen. John Edwards, both Democrats.
Obama's appointments to the 4th Circuit may not transform the court as much as conservatives fear and liberals hope, the National Law Journal story suggests.
But while his White House has prioritized filling its vacancies, lawyers who follow the Richmond, Va.-based court say the four nominees Obama has named are not necessarily going to remake its historically conservative outlook. That's because Obama has avoided pulling from the ranks of liberal organizations or selecting others who would be obvious targets for Republican senators.
As with most of Obama's picks for the bench, his 4th Circuit nominees are sitting judges. While their rulings will be picked over for vulnerabilities, they are unlikely to face criticism for provocative journal articles, as nominees from academia sometimes are, or for their choice of clients, as nominees from private practice are. Two have experience as military judges. The other two worked early in their careers as prosecutors.
Comments
Re: U.S. Attorney worried about 4th Circuit
November 16, 2009 - 9:31pm — GrayJClearly nobody on the left would oppose the nomination of judges that they may deem too conservative. No not never.
Re: U.S. Attorney worried about 4th Circuit
November 16, 2009 - 3:51pm — ishleyBy expressing "concern" over the 4th Circuit's "changing makeup", does Holding mean he is "concerned" that longstanding vacancies are being filled SO THAT THE FOURTH CIRCUIT CAN DO ITS JOB???
Maybe he prefers governmental institutions that operate at two-thirds capacity? Maybe he enjoys seeing North Carolinians drastically under-represented on such an important Court? Then again, maybe he objects for for the sake of objection; kind of like someone who disagrees just to be disagreeable.
I don't know about the other two nominees, but Diaz and Wynn appear to be ideological centrists with broad experience and reputations for competence and fairness. Maybe Holding doesn't value such qualities in Appellate Court Judges, but I think that most citizens do.
Mind boggling
November 16, 2009 - 1:44pm — James_ProtzmanPoor George Holding doesn't even realize what a political hack he is. This guy gives sparkly new meaning to the delusion of objectivity on the bench. What an embarrassment.
So it's okay for draft-dodging George to pack the courts, and it's cause for concern that his successor is trying for a more balanced judiciary?
It's hard to understand Hagan's giving this guy the benefit of the doubt. Thank god he's on his way out.