In a surprise move, Barack Obama's administration has rejected Sen. Mary Landrieu's recommendation to fill a federal judgeship in New Orleans, asking her to offer another candidate to replace her choice of Parish Civil Court Judge Michael Bagneris.
Landrieu had recommended Bagneris, 60, a 17-year veteran of the parish court, in April 2009, at the same she suggested that President Obama retain Jim Letten as U.S. attorney. Obama accepted that recommendation.
Landrieu expressed disappointment with the White House rejection, which came this week.
"Judge Bagneris has served the people of New Orleans and Louisiana with great distinction for 39 years," Landrieu said. "As a member of the Orleans Parish Civil District Court and chair of the Judicial Council of the National Bar Association, he has been recognized as a leader nationally. I was proud to recommend such a distinguished judge, mentor, teacher and might I add, Yale University and Tulane Law School graduate."
There is a racial element in the nomination process. Landrieu had been under pressure from some African-American Democratic leaders to recommend a replacement for Letten, but Landrieu sided with those who praised Letten's record in fighting political corruption. But she made the point of nominating Bagneris, an African-American, on the same day she recommended Letten.
Bagneris was philosophical at the decision this week on his candidacy, which he says was delivered by phone by the White House counsel's office.
"I'm disappointed obviously, but I'm honored to have been considered," Bagneris said.
Bagneris said there was no explanation given, but that he was assured no ethical issues or other problems were raised during the FBI background checks, or interviews with his associates.
The judge, however, did get some notoriety, not all positive, when he ordered a Feb. 1 trial delayed in light of the Saints historic trip to the 2010 Super Bowl.
"The court takes judicial notice that Saints mania permeates the city of New Orleans," Bagneris wrote in a one-paragraph ruling in an asbestos lawsuit.
His friends and associates were disappointed with the White House announcement.
"I am sorry to hear this news," said New Orleans Traffic Judge Ron Sholes. "Judge Bagneris has done an excellent job on the Civil District Court bench. He has been a leader in law-related activities, local and national. The loss to the federal judiciary will be a gain to the state. Hopefully, he will be considered again in the future."
Sarah Binder, a political scientist at the Brookings Institution and George Washington University, said "there is certainly precedent for the White House to reject a suggested nominee from a home state senator of the same party."
"Bobby Kennedy, as attorney general for John Kennedy, once noted that he rejected some 20 percent of suggested nominees from Democratic senators for district court appointments," Binder said. "Unfortunately, though, we lack the type of data we'd need to be more precise about the incidence of rejections."
Landrieu said she'll recommend new nominees for the vacant U.S. District Court judgeship.
"I have been asked to send the White House additional candidates for consideration, and I will do so in the coming weeks," Landrieu said.
Posted By: Siebra Muhammad
Friday, June 25th 2010 at 11:15AM
You can also
click
here to view all posts by this author...
