Federal judge hopeful closer to post
Posted on 02/07/2003 2:41:56 AM PST by MeekOneGOP
Federal judge hopeful closer to post
Panel OKs Junell for Midland; 5th Circuit has a new candidate
02/07/2003
WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday approved the nomination of former Texas House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rob Junell for a federal judgeship in Midland.
The endorsement of the San Angelo lawyer came the same day the White House announced it wants to elevate U.S. District Judge Edward Prado of San Antonio to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
The Prado nomination is President Bush's third to the New Orleans-based 5th Circuit, which spans Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. His first two candidates for the 5th Circuit - Mississippi U.S. District Judge Charles Pickering and Texas Supreme Court Justice Priscilla Owen - have drawn major opposition on Capitol Hill.
Judge Pickering and Justice Owen, both rejected last year by the Democratic-led Judiciary Committee, were renominated by the president last month. Neither has had a new date set for consideration in the Judiciary Committee, where Republicans now hold a one-vote edge.
The partisan wrangling that has swirled around many judicial nominations this year wasn't present in the case of Mr. Junell. The Democrat was unanimously approved Thursday by the panel. He now awaits action by the full Senate.
"Rob Junell is an outstanding candidate for the federal bench, and I've no doubt that he will continue to uphold the highest standards that we expect from one of the highest courts in the nation," said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who serves on the Judiciary Committee.
Judge Prado has been on the federal bench in San Antonio since 1984. Prior to that, the University of Texas law school graduate served as U.S. attorney for the Western District of Texas, state district judge, federal public defender and county prosecutor.
He is perhaps best known for upholding Texas' high school graduation test despite claims it is biased against minority students and for presiding over the bribery trial of former Congressman Albert Bustamante of San Antonio.
If approved by the Senate, Judge Prado would replace the post vacated by federal appellate Judge Robert M. Parker, who retired last November.
Also Thursday, Mr. Cornyn and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, wrote Mr. Bush urging him to nominate former Texas Supreme Court Justice Xavier Rodriguez to replace Judge Prado on the bench in San Antonio.
"Judge Rodriguez brings the qualifications and integrity to the bench that Texas and our nation need now," Ms. Hutchison said. "He is an exemplary civic and judicial leader, and I am pleased to recommend his nomination to President Bush."
Mr. Rodriguez is a partner in the Fulbright & Jaworski law firm in San Antonio. Appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to the Supreme Court in September 2001, Mr. Rodriguez lost his bid for election to a full term after failing to secure the Republican nomination in the March 2002 primary.
A University of Texas law school graduate, he served from 1983 to 1997 as a captain in the Judge Advocate Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve.
E-mail mmittelstadt@dallasnews.com
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