Senate Judiciary Committee Approves Nominees
Yesterday, the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved the nominations of Kevin O'Connor and Gregory Katsas to respectively serve as the next Associate Attorney General and head the Department of Justice's Civil Division, the Legal Times reported. O'Connor would become the department's third-in-command, replacing Katsas who had temporarily held the position.
The committee also unanimously approved the following four district judge nominees: Brian Miller (E.D. AK), James Hall (S.D. GA), John Mendez (E.D. CA), and Stanley Anderson (W.D. TN).
Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee Patrick Leahy issued this press release, which said, in part:
"Including the nominations on today’s agenda, our Committee will have favorably reported 26 executive nominations already in this Congress,” said Leahy. “By the time we adjourned the first session of this Congress, the Senate had already confirmed 22 executive nominations.”
According to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, there are currently 49 judicial vacancies. The White House has yet to send nominations to the Senate for consideration for 20 of those vacancies. Additionally, 23 U.S. Attorney offices across the country do not have presidentially appointed, Senate confirmed U.S. Attorneys. The White House has not sent nominees for 19 of those vacancies.