Litigation

Editorial Alleges ?Judgeship-Buying?

By Peter Hardin

Plaintiffs’ lawyer John “Jack” McConnell of Rhode Island, nominated by President Obama for a federal district judgeship, has come under sharp attack in a newspaper editorial over large political contributions to Democrats.

Republican critics have zeroed in on large contributions of nearly $700,00 by McConnell and his wife to Democratic candidates and causes. A Washington Examiner editorial spotlights the political donations under the headline, “Mr. Lead Paint buys a federal judgeship.” McConnell’s work has included litigating lead paint cases.

As Gavel Grab mentioned in an earlier post, Democrats have countered  that McConnell?s critics were carrying out the will of the Big Business community; the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has staked out strong opposition to McConnell’s nomination.

The Examiner editorial contends the saga of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich illustrates how far some people will go to seek appointment to the U.S. Senate, and it draws a parallel to some people seeking a judgeship. “How else to explain President Obama’s nomination of Jack McConnell…for the federal district court,” it says.

McConnell’s nomination has won approval from the Senate Judiciary Committee but has not been voted upon by the full Senate.

Full post as published by The Gavel on July 01, 2010 (boomark / email).