The confirmation of William Thomas, whom President Obama first named in November for a seat on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, was as of last week held up by both U.S. senators in Florida — Bill Nelson and Rubio — who had yet to return the “blue slips” for the nomination even though it had been pending for more than eight months.
But on Wednesday, following the publication of several media reports on the issue — including one from the Washington Blade — Nelson submitted the blue slips for the nomination, according to Senate sources familiar with the process. Dan McLaughlin, a Nelson spokesperson, confirmed the Florida Democrat had returned the blue slips for the nomination.
Judge Nushin Sayfie is also coming to Judge Thomas' aid, sending this letter to Sen. Rubio.
HT: Glenn Sugameli, who has all the info on Judge Thomas at his website.
What cannot be explained away is that the victim's family felt betrayed by the process. The victim's family walked away angry with the judge and the sentence he imposed. Judge Thomas did show fortitude in his sentencing decision. The only problem is that it was the wrong decision. He doesn't deserve a blue slip nor a pink slip. He doesn't deserve a lifetime appointment either.
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ReplyDeleteI am usually a big fan of Judge Sayfie. But you would think that she would proof read a letter to a US Senator before sending it. She said the defendant had absolutely NO previous contact with the crminal justice system.
Then the second attachment is from the ASA who mentions a 2009 marijuana case and a 2010 cocaine case.
Sloppy.
"sloppy" is to show kindness. This mistake requires a follow up letter to clarify the mistake.
ReplyDeletehttp://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2752&context=flr
ReplyDeleteThe victims were disappointed and it is understandable, but the sentence was within guidelines approved by the Florida legislature for the offense. Don't like it, write your legislator, but don't blame the Judge.
ReplyDeleteMC waste service may think this was a "wrong" decision, but it was a legal one. We follow the law.
ReplyDeleteSimply because a family or community is unhappy with a result does not mean it was wrong.
We see it in this case and more recently in the Zimmerman case.
When a Prosecutor writes a letter in support of a Judge who ruled against him, I think that says more than the complaints of people who were unhappy with the outcome.
The saying "hard cases make bad law" can be similarly applied here. Thomas should not be confirmed or denied based on one case.