Posted on 11/15/2006 4:19:48 PM PST by ElkGroveDan
This afternoon President George W. Bush announced that he has nominated Orange County Superior Court Judge James E. Rogan to a seat on the United States District Court for the Central Valley.
Rogan, of course, is a superstar on the Republican side of the aisle. While originally a Democrat, Rogan found his heart and soul in the Grand ol' Party of Abraham Lincoln. He has had a storied career -- as a successful gang murder prosecutor, a judge up in Los Angeles County, GOP Majority Leader (yes, we had one of those once!) of the California State Assembly, a Member of Congress (where he served as one of the handful of managers of impeachment trial of former President Bill Clinton), and went on to serve President George W. Bush as an Undersecretary of Commerce and as Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and was recently appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger to fill a vacancy on the Orange County Superior Court.
The FlashReport caught up with Judge Rogan to get his thoughts upon his nomination:
"I am humbled by the news of my nomination. As the US Senate undertakes the process of reviewing it, I hope my years as a gang murder prosecutor, legislator, judge and public servant commends me to them. I look forward to working with the Senate and to answering their questions in the coming weeks."
HOW WILL THIS PLAY OUT IN THE U.S. SENATE? Obviously the "home run" for Rogan would be to be voted out by the United States Senate in a lame-duck session in the next month or two. But you have to figure it is likely that the Democrats will start to filibuster if Republicans try to confirm judicial appointments in a lame-duck Congress.
This will mean that the President will technically have to re-nominate Rogan upon the opening of the next session of Congress, and that's where Rogan's bi-partisan support will be very helpful. Back in 2001, Rogan was unanimously supported by both the Senate Judiciary Committee and by the entire United States Senate. Yes, including every Democrat! Of course, this was to an Undersecretary role in the Department of Commerce, still... Also, Rogan is supported in his judicial bid by some pretty prominent Democrats including Clinton White House Counsel Lanny Davis, Clinton impeachment lawyers Lanny Breuer, David Kendall, and Emmett Flood; California Democrats Juanita McDonald, Jane Harmon, and Anna Eshoo, among others. Oh yes, believe it or not, even former California Senate President Pro-Tem John Burton is supporting his confirmation!
We'll see what happens with this -- but a hearty congratulations to Jim Rogan, and of course our appreciation to the President along with well-meaning, "What took you so long?"
Conservative Judges ping-a-lama-ding-dong.
Oh my.
Good luck, Jim.
The Dems have the court system targeted as their activist platform --- never happen now.
Thank You voters for this wonderful gift.
Excellent. Seemed like being a mere Superior Court judge was a step back for him.
Regards, Ivan
Don't be so sure. This is for the district court (trial judge). The Dems haven't (yet) been blocking district court nominees.
This is a lower court appointment. I actually think his chances are good.
Another great man to be tarred and feathered. They will be eager to stuff Bush's first couple of nominations to put a scare into him so that he feels more comfortable nominating rino dreck.
I'm likin' this news.
Bush shoulda done this
before he threw Congress away.
BYW, how many current vacancies on the federal bench?
From the article:
", Rogan is supported in his judicial bid by some pretty prominent Democrats including Clinton White House Counsel Lanny Davis, Clinton impeachment lawyers Lanny Breuer, David Kendall, and Emmett Flood; California Democrats Juanita McDonald, Jane Harmon, and Anna Eshoo, among others."
I thought I heard Kristol say that Bush submitted a list of nominees today (perhaps 6). Keep sending them. If dems block them, we've got a hot issue for '08.
Yiiiiiikes!
Rogan - what a hero! I'm proud to have his autograph from impeachment days.
THIS IS THE BEST THING THAT HAS HAPPENED ALL WEEK!!
One of the good guys.
Great news!
I agree. I wasn't sure if I should make it BREAKING. Admin?
That should be for the Central District of California.
I'll tell Jon.
The dims have already said that Bush gets no more judges.
Outstanding nomination.
Bush nominates ex-California Rep. Rogan for federal bench
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - President Bush on Wednesday nominated former California GOP congressman James E. Rogan for a federal judgeship. Rogan was defeated in his San Gabriel Valley district six years ago after attaining prominence as a House manager during President Clinton's impeachment trial.
Bush nominated Rogan for a seat on the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Rogan has been serving since earlier this year as a Superior Court judge in Orange County after he was appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
He served from 2001-2004 as director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Rogan left Congress after his 2000 loss to Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena, in an $11 million contest that was the most expensive House race in history.
Rogan's was one of a list of nominations the White House sent to the Senate in a bid to push through judicial nominations before Republicans lose control of the Senate. They included six appeals court nominees who Democrats say are too conservative for the federal bench, including William Gerry Myers III and Norman Randy Smith, both of Idaho, for the 9th Circuit in San Francisco.
Myers is a former top lawyer at the Interior Department and lobbyist for mining and cattle interests. Democrats have blocked his nomination since 2003, railing against what they call his anti-environment agenda and an acrimonious past with American Indians.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein has vowed to block the nomination of Smith because she wants that seat to go to a Californian.
Why didn't he nominate and send him to committee 3 months ago?
I think I remember this guy, wasn't he the guy with a cheesy toupee? Not that it's important, if I remember correctly he was a good guy I'm just trying to place him from memory.
YEAH!!!! First good news in over a week!
Frankly, Bush is a weasel for making this nomination after the election. He knows damned well the Slave Party will never let Rogan sit on the bench after prosecuting Bubba.
Watch out for Hillary.....she holds grudges.
I agree!
Though Rogan is a good man. I like him.
Keep the faith and in Blassie you shall trust,
He won't give up until the last geek bites the dust!
As one of the thirteen he is dooomed to Rat ostracism.
He is one of the truly great guys. They don't get the respect they deserve.
That was a gutsy move by the Bush Administration.
There is one hopeful excerpt in this article:
"Also, Rogan is supported in his judicial bid by some pretty prominent Democrats including Clinton White House Counsel Lanny Davis, Clinton impeachment lawyers Lanny Breuer, David Kendall, and Emmett Flood; California Democrats Juanita McDonald, Jane Harmon, and Anna Eshoo, among others. Oh yes, believe it or not, even former California Senate President Pro-Tem John Burton is supporting his confirmation!"
That is a hopeful sign.
There is more bipartisan tolerance of federal district judges than appellate judges, and of course SCOTUS judges, because they don't set precedent.
Awesome!
I had the chance to chat with his brother at a mutual friend's 50th birthday party back in 1998 - nice guy who spoke very well of his brother. A cool semi-brush with integrity.
Chuckie will make sure this goes no where. We'll be back to the land of obstruction on judges. Well, we'll find ourselves in an even more intractable state with the Rats in full control.
I might me mis-remembering this, but I thought he had been gang member in his youth and got out and rose to make something of himself.
From his book promo:
Jim Rogan was born to a single mother—a cocktail waitress who was later convicted of welfare fraud; his bartender-father abandoned them both before he was born. After a rough-and-tumble childhood in San Francisco's hardscrabble Mission District—where he was raised by his colorful extended family—he became a political junkie at the age of nine, and once received help with his homework from Harry Truman. But Rogan traveled with a tough circle of friends; after years of borderline delinquency he was expelled from high school, became a porn theater bouncer, and then a bartender at a strip joint and a Hell's Angels bar. Along the way, a young Arkansas politician advised him to study law and become a member of a different kind of bar.
In time Rogan scrapped his way through college and law school. He was appointed a Los Angeles County DA, prosecuting members of the notorious Crips and Bloods gangs; then became a judge, a state legislator, and finally a congressman from Southern California. And in 1998, as a Republican member of the House Judiciary Committee, he found himself prosecuting the impeachment of the President of the United States—Bill Clinton, the same Arkansas politician who advised him to go into law and politics two decades earlier.
It was when he was an LA County judge and right before he was elected to the State Assembly that my wife and I got to know him. We have been fast friends ever since.
I highly recommend his book Rough Edges Jim has a great dry sense of humor.
I recall that from his appearnces during the impeachment.
Oh, the Dems would NEVER go for this man since he worked hard and was successful in impeaching their guy.
A great guy, but we need him to run as a statewide candidate -- or at least for the House again. Frankly, this kind of political talent is rare and is wasted in a district-level judgeship. In addition, don't assume he'll be confirmed. Bill Clinton holds a grudge, and Rogan's role in the impeachment will make him a target. (He was Clintoon's number-one target for defeat in the 2000 election.) My guess is that Clintoon will stir up some serious opposition to him in the Senate.
I think you're probably right. The Rats have a knack for zeroing in on our most courageous and talented people.
Do you really suppose that the rats figure they will never again win the White House?
What a great nomination for a great guy! I really liked him in Congress and the impeachment trial. I hope he makes it.
Excellent choice.
Great man bump
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