Obama judicial nominee John McConnell passes Senate Judiciary on a bipartisan vote

[usregimechange]

John J. McConnell, Jr., Managing partner, Motley Rice LLC.
Nominee for the United States District Court, District of Rhode Island
51 Years Old.


Senator Sessions is opposing his nomination because:

he and his wife have contributed almost 700,000 to Democratic candidates

he was treasure of the RI Democratic committee

he once was the Director of Planned Parenthood

for filling a lawsuit based on a "novel public nuisance theory" against corporations who put lead paint in children's toys

that the US Chamber of Commerce opposes him

Senator Whitehouse spoke in support noting that he:

has devoted time to Crossroads Rhode Island a shelter for women and the homeless

is opposed by the paint industry who he helped hold accountable

has represented poised kids

is well respected in Rhode Island

Voting yes: 13
Whitehouse, Klobuchar, Kaufman, Franken, Leahy, Kohl, Feinstein, Feingold, Schumer, Specter, Graham, Durbin, Cardin.

Voting no: 6
Sessions, Hatch, Grassley, Kyl, Cornyn, Coburn.

[Ken Burch]

1. Why the hell did Durbin and Cardin oppose him?

n/t.

[MadMaddie]

3. Errr..Good Job Dems!

:blush:

[usregimechange]

4. Sorry, typo, Dems all vote for

[MadMaddie]

7. he..he.

[Ken Burch]

10. Never mind. They didn't oppose him.

n/t.

[babylonsister]

2. Durbin, Cardin??? I need to find out what their beefs were. nt

[usregimechange]

5. Sorry, they both voted for him, Cardin even spoke in support at the hearing

[babylonsister]

6. PHEW! Thanks! nt

[usregimechange]

8. Didn't mean to make your head explode!

:headbang:

[usregimechange]

9. Graham voted yes by proxy, plus Kyl said he would support blocking a vote on the floor

[usregimechange]

11. BLT: Senate Committee Advances Motley Rice Partner for Judgeship

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted largely along party lines today to endorse plaintiffs' lawyer John McConnell Jr. for the federal district court in Rhode Island.

Republican senators attacked McConnell as anti-business, picking up on intense criticism from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business groups, while Democrats called those depictions cartoonish and touted support from McConnell’s home state.

McConnell is the Providence, R.I., managing partner of South Carolina-based Motley Rice. He took a lead role in major cases involving asbestos, and the Rhode Island attorney general’s office hired him on a contingency basis to handle litigation against the lead-paint and tobacco industries, with mixed results.

His nomination, which now heads to the full Senate, has shaped up as a major fight because of the Chamber’s involvement. As The National Law Journal reported, Chamber officials said Wednesday they will count senators’ votes on McConnell when they compile their rankings.

http://legaltimes.typepad.com/blt/2010/06/senate-committee-advances-motley-rice-partner-for-judgeship.html