Obama Could Set Modern Record for Fewest Judicial Nominations
The Obama administration could be on the verge of a modern record for the fewest number of judicial candidates nominated and confirmed in the first two years of the presidency.
So far President Obama has nominated 56 people for federal judgeships (not including the Supreme Court), compared to 77 nominated by President Bill Clinton and 98 by President George W. Bush, according to the Washington Post column In the Loop. Only 18 have been confirmed.
“Unless the Obama administration quickly nominates 14 more judges and the Senate confirms them and those pending at the Senate, the prize for fewest judges will go to this administration,” the Post says.
The Los Angeles Times also noted the slow pace of nominations in a story last month. “An early chance for the Obama administration to reshape the nation’s judiciary—and counter gains made in the federal courts by conservatives—appears close to slipping away, due to a combination of White House inattention and Republican opposition,” its story says.
