A reader sent this email:
"Possible grist for your blog, but PLEASE KEEP MY IDENTITY ANONYMOUS IF YOU CHOOSE TO USE THIS IN ANY WAY....A few months back, I heard it from a well-placed source that the current Administration is looking for a way to get Raoul Cantero on the 11th Circuit. They are practically counting the days until Judge Barkett is eligible to take senior status, figuring that will give them a "Florida seat" to fill with Cantero. I've also heard that Cantero (like many Florida Supreme Court Justices) would prefer not to live in Tallahassee forever, so he'd be game. Now another possibility may have arisen -- this week Congress returned the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the DC Circuit (he's a darling of the Federalist Society right wingers), signaling that his re-nomination (if it occurs in 2006) would be a complete war. One piece of scuttlebut is that that Cantero could be considered for that open seat on the DC Circuit. If so, and if he makes it to the DC Circuit, his age & ethnicity would automatically jump him into the very top tier of any Supreme Court shortlist for the next vacancy. We might just get a Floridian in the Big House yet...."
A couple thoughts -- 1) I hope Judge Barkett doesn't take senior status any time soon. 2) I don't think Judge Cantero would be as conservative as the right hopes. I think the former Judge Davis' clerk would call it right down the middle. 3) Hope everyone had a nice holiday weekend.
The SDFLA Blog is dedicated to providing news and notes regarding federal practice in the Southern District of Florida. The New Times calls the blog "the definitive source on South Florida's federal court system." All tips on court happenings are welcome and will remain anonymous. Please email David Markus at dmarkus@markuslaw.com
When Connie Mack and Bob Graham were working in a bipartisan way to help fill Florida's open federal judiciary spots, President Clinton elevated a Reagan appointee (Stanley Marcus) to the Eleventh Circuit. If another seat open up, why can't Bill Nelson and Mel Martinez prove their bi-partisanship by working with the current President to elevate a Clinton appointee (someone like Judge Jordan would be a fantastic choice)? It might help this Administration prove that it's not just paying lip service when it talks about bipartisanship, uniting not dividing, etc.
ReplyDeleteTo whoever wrote that last message -- give me a break! If you believe this President would actually pick the most qualified candidate instead of somebody who shares his right-wing vision of the world, then you probably also believe Harriet Miers was the most qualified to be a Supreme Court Justice. And "Heck of Job" Brownie was the most qualified to run FEMA. And a 36 year-old with no trial experience whatsoever is best qualified to be our U.S. Attorney. And when polarizing figures like John Bolton and Bill Pryor can't garner bipartisan support for confirmation, the "bipartisan" thing to do is to confirm them anyway through a backdoor recess appointment. Face it, this President NEVER cares about bipartisanship -- it's a pipedream to think he'll wake up one day and care about the other 50% of the country.
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