Goodwin Liu faces Senate Committee

April 19, 2010

California: On February 24, 2010, President Barack Obama nominated Goodwin Liu to the United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. The nomination now rests with the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who will choose whether to recommend Liu to the full United States Senate for confirmation. Liu is almost sure to be approved by the Committee, which currently has a 12-7 Democratic majority. However, Republicans have made their concern about the nominee understood. Much criticism pertains to the 2009 book he co-authored, "Keeping Faith with the Constitution," where the authors argued the flexibility of the United States Constitution. In response to the criticism, Liu has pointed out the founders were unable to imagine the world in which we now live, especially pertaining to issues such as internet regulation.

Liu currently serves as an Associate Dean and Professor of Law at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. Prior to this position, he worked as appellate litigator and clerked for Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and U.S. Court of Appeals judge David Tatel. Education has also been a focus of his career, previously serving as a special assistant to the deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. He is also a former Rhodes scholar. The American Bar Association gave Liu their highest ranking for his candidancy.