Kathleen Cardone's career took a sharp turn in 2003 when the U.S. Senate confirmed her nomination (nominated by Bush) as a federal judge in the Western District of Texas. In nearly 25 years as an attorney and judge, she had devoted much of her time to family law and worked to improve the family court system in El Paso. She had also volunteered with many family-focused community organizations, such as the Children Cope with Divorce Program and the Domestic Violence Task Force Commission.
But as the first female federal judge in El Paso, "I've stepped away from all that totally," Cardone said. Instead, she presides over cases that touch on other important social issues, such as employer-employee relations, education and immigration -- an especially pressing matter in a border town. "The kinds of cases we handle have such an effect on everyday society that it's very fascinating, interesting work," she said.
You might say Cardone was destined for the law. Her father is an attorney, and four of her five siblings also attended law school. At Binghamton, she double-majored in Spanish language and literature and Latin American studies. She chose a law school in San Antonio in part because she wanted to be near the Mexican border, where she could use her linguistic and cultural knowledge and perhaps practice international law.
Another Bush appointee who is completely enamored of the 'hispanic culture'.