Litigation

A Prescription for Bipartisanship

By Peter Hardin

From Texas, there is editorial board applause for bipartisanship in judicial selection.

An editorial in the San Antonio Express-News reports that President Obama nominated U.S. Magistrate Diana Saldaña to a federal district court judgeship after months of inaction.

The breakthrough on her nomination was thanks to the willingness of Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Democrat, to work in a bipartisan fashion, according to the editorial, which notes that Texas’ two senators are Republican.

Texas has six open federal district judgeships, and the senators and Texas’ House Democrats disagree on other potential nominees. This is a problem, especially for courts on the border with Mexico, the editorial says; it concludes with an appeal for further bipartisanship:

“It is long past time to put away political considerations. The Democratic delegation must work with the senators to find acceptable candidates.

“Otherwise, the judicial delays will remain another example of Washington’s pathetic dysfunction due to partisanship. Texans would rather have effective government than partisan scorekeeping.”

To learn more about how partisanship affects judicial nominations, see Justice at Stake’s issues page on the topic.

Full post as published by The Gavel on July 27, 2010 (boomark / email).