Louis Butler nominated to federal court, angering state Rep
October 1, 2009
Wisconsin: Former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice Louis Butler has been nominated by President Obama to fill a vacancy on the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin.[1] Butler was recommended to the President by Wisconsin Senators Feingold and Kohl, after he was referred to them by the Wisconsin Federal Judicial Nominating Commission.[2]
Representative Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis) has panned the nomination, noting that Butler is the first Wisconsin Supreme Court justice to have been voted off of the court in 41 years. "Mr. Butler lost a statewide election, held by the people of Wisconsin, to continue serving on Wisconsin's Supreme Court. Now, the man who was voted off the bench in Wisconsin is being given a promotion, a lifetime appointment and a pay raise." Sensenbrenner also took issue with the way that the Commission handled the recommendation process, saying that "Senator Kohl and Senator Feingold sent this nomination to the White House with no input from individuals on the other side of the aisle".[3]
Sens. Feingold and Kohl are standing by their recommendation, saying Butler has "the qualifications, experience and intellect that will serve him well" as a federal judge.[4]
Footnotes
- ↑ White House Press Release "NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE: 9/30/09
- ↑ Judicial recommendation, May 20, 2009
- ↑ Sensenbrenner Press Release "Sensenbrenner Statement on Nomination of Louis Butler as U.S. District Judge," October 1, 2009
- ↑ Feingold Press Release "KOHL, FEINGOLD LAUD PRESIDENT OBAMA'S NOMINATION OF LOUIS BUTLER TO WESTERN DISTRICT JUDGESHIP," October 1, 2009
Federal courts:
Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Wisconsin, Western District of Wisconsin • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Wisconsin, Western District of Wisconsin
State courts:
Wisconsin Supreme Court • Wisconsin Court of Appeals • Wisconsin Circuit Courts • Wisconsin Municipal Courts
State resources:
Courts in Wisconsin • Wisconsin judicial elections • Judicial selection in Wisconsin
