This federal appeals court has been waiting more than six years for a judge
The prospect that the current Supreme Court vacancy will be delayed has been getting a lot of press. Getting less attention is a vacancy on the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that has gone unfilled for more than six years.
A Huffington Post article blames the delays on U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis.
Johnson complained after his January 2011 election that he hadn’t been consulted on the pending nominee, Victoria Nourse, and blocked confirmation hearings until President Obama withdrew her name, according to the article. Then he created a new commission to recommend candidates and said it couldn’t act until two district court seats were filled.
When the commission finally reviewed eight finalists for the appeals court, it deadlocked on which four candidates to recommend. Wisconsin’s Democratic senator sent all eight candidates to President Obama, spurring Johnson to complain that the move was partisan and the commission should start its job anew.
Obama nominated one of the eight candidates, Donald Schott, in January 2016. Schott has yet to get a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.
