Virginia Judges Approved for the Justice Department Office of Legal Counsel
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March 10, 2011
The nominations of six judges were reported out by the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 10, but one judge was held over as well as Deputy Attorney General Jim Cole.
Of the six judges approved, five were by voice vote. The nominations included Jimmie V. Reyna for the United States Federal Circuit, John A. Kronstadt for the Central District of California, Vincent L. Briccetti for the Southern District of New York, Arenda L. Wright Allen for the Eastern District of Virginia and Michael Urbanski for the Western District of Virginia.
In addition, Caitlin J. Halligan for the District of Columbia Court was reported out by a ten-eight roll call vote. The Republicans have given her some resistance about statements she has made or signed onto, specifically about a report on the indefinite incarceration of terrorism suspects.
The only judicial nominee held over was Edward Chen for the Northern District of California.
Chen had been nominated and reported out by the Senate Judiciary Committee three times during the 111th Congress, and each time his nomination was returned to President Barack Obama. Concerns by the Republicans were expressed at Chen's previous connections with the American Civil Liberties Union.
Deputy Attorney General Jim Cole was nominated in January and held over as well. The nomination was pro forma. Through a recess appointment made by President Barack Obama in December of last year after Republicans had blocked him in the Senate for five months, the former Department of Justice Criminal Division was already serving as the Deputy Attorney General. [1]
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