Litigation

Action Urged to Honor Judge Roll

By Peter Hardin

President Obama will attend a memorial service in Tucson Wednesday to honor victims of the shooting rampage.

While Obama is likely to touch on the killing of Chief District Judge John M. Roll, one of 20 people shot in the attack that apparently targeted Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, other personal tributes have begun flowing.

Chief Judge Raymond Dearie of New York’s Eastern District said there would be no better way to honor the fallen judge than for his colleagues to volunteer to share the workload of courts along the U.S. border with Mexico. Thousands of immigration cases have placed these courts “under siege,” he told the New York Law Journal.

In the Charleston (W.Va.) Gazette, Andrew Clevenger wrote in a commentary that President George H.W. Bush nominated Judge Roll on Sept. 23, 1991, and the Senate unanimously confirmed him less than two months later. That speedy confirmation rate seems “unthinkable” today, said Clevenger, who urged:

“While proclamations and heightened focus on judicial security are all well and good, the Senate can best honor Judge Roll by living up to its obligation to confirm qualified judges in a timely manner.”

In advance of the holiday celebrating the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder called the shootings “an unspeakable tragedy.” He added, according to a text of his speech:

“Without question, threats against public officials – whatever form they take – continue to be cause for concern and vigilance.   But I do not believe that these threats are as strong as the forces working for tolerance and peace.”

Full post as published by The Gavel on January 11, 2011 (boomark / email).