Real Clear Politics SCOTUS short list

realclearpolitics.com ^ | 10/27/2005

[LesbianThespianGymnasticMidget]

Supreme Court Nomination Short List
Samuel Alito Jr
Age: 55 Education: Princeton University, B.A, 1972 Yale Law School, J.D., 1975 Federal Judicial Service: U. S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit Nominated by George H.W. Bush on February 20, 1990. Confirmed by the Senate on April 27, 1990, and received commission on April 30, 1990. Professional Career: U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, 1987-1990 Deputy Assistant U.S. Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice, 1985-1987 Assistant to the U.S. Solicitor General, U.S. Department of Justice, 1981-1985 Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of New Jersey, 1977-1981 Law Clerk, Hon. Leonard I. Garth, U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit, 1976-1977
Janice Rogers Brown
Age: 56 Education: Cal State - Sacramento, B.A, 1974 UCLA Law School, J.D., 1977 University of Virginia, LL.M., 2004 Federal Judicial Service: U. S. Court of Appeals for District of Columbia Circuit Nominated by George W. Bush in 2003. Confirmed by the Senate on June 8, 2005 by a vote of 56-43. Professional Career: Justice, California Supreme Court, 1996 - 2005 Associate Justice of the Third District Court of Appeal in Sacramento, 1994-1996 Legal Affairs Secretary to Governor Pete Wilson, 1991-1994 Associate, Nielsen, Merksamer, Parrinello, Mueller & Naylor, 1990-1991 Dpty Secretary & General Counsel, Business, Transportation & Housing Agency, 1987-1990 Deputy Attorney General, CA Attorney General's Office, 1979-1987
Edith Brown Clement
Age: 57 Education: University of Alabama, B.A, 1969 Tulane University, J.D., 1972 Federal Judicial Service: U. S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit Nominated by George W. Bush on September 4, 2001. Confirmed by the Senate 99-0 on November 13, 2001 Professional Career: Law Clerk to Hon. H. W. Christenberry U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carrere & Denegre Associate & Partner
Miguel Estrada
Age: 44 Education: Columbia College, B.A, 1983 Harvard Law School, J.D., 1986 Federal Judicial Service: None **Nominated in 2000 by President George W. Bush to fill a vacancy on the U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit. Estrada withdrew his nomination on September 4, 2003 after seven failed cloture votes. Professional Career: Partner, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, 2000-present Assistant to the Solicitor General, U.S. Department of Justice, 1992-1997 Associate, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, 1987-88, 1989-90, 1992 Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney's Office, Sthrn District of New York, 1990-1992 Clerk, Honorable Anthony M. Kennedy, U.S. Supreme Court, 1988-1989 Clerk, Honorable Amalya L. Kearse, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 1986-1987
Emilio Garza
Age: 58 Education: University of Notre Dame, B.A., 1969 University of Notre Dame, M.A., 1970 University of Texas School of Law, J.D., 1976 Federal Judicial Service: U. S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit Nominated by George H.W. Bush on April 11, 1991. Confirmed by the Senate on May 24, 1991, and received commission on May 30, 1991. U. S. District Court, Western District of Texas Nominated by Ronald Reagan on February 2, 1988. Confirmed by the Senate on April 19, 1988, and received commission on April 20, 1988. Professional Career: Judge, 225th District Court, Bexar County, Texas, 1987-1988 Private practice, San Antonio, Texas, 1976-1987 U.S. Marine Corps Captain, 1970-1973
Alberto Gonzales
Age: 49 Education: United States Air Force Academy, 1975-1977 Rice University, B.A., 1979 Harvard Law School, 1982 Federal Judicial Service: None. Professional Career: Attorney General of the United States, 2005 - present White House Counsel to President George W. Bush, 2001-2005 Associate Justice, Texas Supreme Court, 1999-2001 Texas Secretary of State, 1997-1999 General Counsel to Governor George W. Bush, 1995-1996 Partner, Vincent & Elkins, Houston, TX 1982-1994 United States Air Force, 1973-1975
Edith Jones
Age: 56 Education: Cornell University, B.A., 1971 University of Texas School of Law, J.D., 1974 Federal Judicial Service: U. S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit Nominated by Ronald Reagan on February 27, 1985. Confirmed by the Senate on April 3, 1985, and received commission on April 4, 1985. Professional Career: Private practice, Houston, Texas, 1974-1985
J. Michael Luttig
Age: 51 Education: Washington & Lee University, B.A., 1976 University of Virginia School of Law, J.D., 1981 Federal Judicial Service: U. S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit Nominated by George H.W. Bush on April 23, 1991. Confirmed by the Senate on July 26, 1991, and received commission on August 2, 1991. Professional Career: Counselor to the Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice, 1990-1991 Assistant Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice, 1990-1991 Principal Dpty Asst Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice, 1989-1990 Private practice, Washington, DC, 1985-1989 Special Assistant to the Chief Justice, Supreme Court of United States, 1984-1985 Clerk, Chief Justice Warren Burger, Supreme Court of the United States, 1983-1984 Clerk, Hon. Antonin Scalia, U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit, 1982-1983 Assistant Counsel, Office of the President of the United States, 1981-1982
Michael W. McConnell
Age: 50 Education: Michigan State University, B.A., 1976 University of Chicago Law School, J.D., 1979 Federal Judicial Service: U. S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit Nominated by George W. Bush on September 4, 2001. Confirmed by the Senate on November 15, 2002, and received commission on November 26, 2002. Professional Career: Professor, University of Utah College of Law, 1997-2002 Professor, University of Chicago Law School, 1985-1996 Assistant to the Solicitor General, U.S. Department of Justice, 1983-1985 Assistant General Counsel, Office of Management and Budget, 1981-1983 Clerk, Associate Justice William J. Brennan, Supreme Court of the United States, 1980-1981 Clerk, Hon. J. Skelly Wright, U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, 1979-1980
J. Harvie Wilkinson III
Age: 61 Education: Yale University, B.A., 1967 University of Virginia School of Law, J.D., 1972 Federal Judicial Service: U. S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit Nominated by Ronald Reagan on January 30, 1984, to a seat vacated by John Decker Butzner, Jr.; Confirmed by the Senate on August 9, 1984, and received commission on August 13, 1984. Served as chief judge, 1996-2003. Professional Career: Professor, University of Virginia School of Law, 1983 Dpty Asst. U.S. Attorney General, Civil Rights Div, U.S. Department of Justice, 1982-1983 Editorial Page Editor, Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, 1978-1981 Associate Professor, University of Virginia School of Law, 1973-1978 Clerk, Justice Lewis F. Powell, Supreme Court of the United States, 1972-1973 Republican Candidate for U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia, 1970 U.S. Army, 1968-1969
Karen Williams
Age: 54 Education: Columbia College, B.A., 1972 University of South Carolina Law Center, J.D., 1980 Federal Judicial Service: U. S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit Nominated by George H.W. Bush on January 27, 1992, to a seat vacated by Robert Foster Chapman; Confirmed by the Senate on February 27, 1992, and received commission on March 2, 1992. Professional Career: Private practice, Orangeburg, South Carolina, 1980-1992
Others Mentioned As Possible Supreme Court Nominees: • Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) • Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) • Ted Olson • Priscilla Owen • Larry Thompson

[inquest]

Sykes, Diane S.

Looks like decent qualifications so far, but can she read the Constitution right?

[mwl1]

I agree with you... Karen Williams... she is smart, female, conservative, telegenic, and articulate. She is also on the "non-filibuster" list.

It will be very politcally difficult for moderate Dems (Landreiu, Nelson, Nelson, Carper, Lincoln, Pryor, et al) to oppose her.

[JLS]

Ok lets try this again not in the short hand of English. If I could write in a more formal language I would switch that. But here goes:

From the set of usually identified candidates that are said to be solid originalists, I like Estrada for both demographic and heritage. Also I like him for sticking it to the Dims who fillibustered him.


I am an economics prof. I know some economics. I know a bit about constitutional law. But I know that I have to focus my preference from among those the experts in constitutional law have identified. As an economist I also understand there are no sure things once someone has a lifetime appointment and no high position to strive for.

[inquest]

My only concern is that the bare fact that those who are generally "said to be originalists" isn't usually a very good predictor of that. I'm not trying to trash Estrada by raising any kind of innuendo against him, but if I'm to support him, I'd need to see some evidence of his originalism, from his writings and/or public statements. Is there anything at all available?

[JLS]

I agree and I agree that very few of us with opinions on this really know enough about these potential nominees to know who is actually an originalist. And unlike Coulter I understand that even if you nominate an originalist, they might drift on you as they have a lifetime appointment and no further appointment they are looking for.

Since I posted what I did about Estrada, I have seen discussions on confirmthem.com that view Estrada as steathy and wondering who much of an originalist he is. As I said as a not expert, my opinions in this area are subject to narrowing of the field by real experts.

[el_texicano]

Perhaps you are correct. But after what I just witnessed over the Miers nomination, I'm not so sure anymore.

Even after the antics of the gang of 14, McVain even shut up when he saw the reaction. I don't think he expected that. And now with the Miers controversy resolved (without a doubt from the overwhelming pushback of conservatives), I think McVain had better tread very carefully.

[street_lawyer]

If Janice Brown can not be confirmed that the conservative movement is dead and it's time to play taps.

[street_lawyer]

If Janice Brown can not be confirmed that the conservative movement is dead and it's time to play taps.

[oceanview]

someone corrected me above, she was appointed by Bush 41 in his last year.

[nyconse]

I hope you are right, but I see no evidence of this. It seems McCain believes the way to the Presidency is via the middle. Also, he hate Bush.