Lots of buzz around town that Judge Roy Altman is being considered for the open Senate seat once Marco Rubio is confirmed as Secretary of State. There is also talk about Altman being named Ambassador to Israel and also U.S. Attorney. Each of these positions would be truly fantastic for Judge Altman.
The last district judge who held a number of different positions was Tom Scott -- a district judge, the U.S. Attorney, and state judge.
By "buzz around town" you mean blog comments? LOL -- DeSantis would never put Altman in the Senate. It'll be Nunez or Moody. Now Ambassador to Israel makes a lot more sense, he's been auditioning for a year. But to me, the most obvious move is U.S. Attorney. Where he should have gone in the first place. Please make it so, Trump.
ReplyDeleteHmm life vs 4 years.... not a fair trade.
DeleteI sort of agree. If anything it’s US attorney. Little known fact about Tom Scott. In the interregnum after leaving state court judge position he did some appointed death penalty defense.
ReplyDeleteStill didn’t make up for all the damage he did in the bench. And he wasn’t even good at it.
DeleteTrump just announced that he's going to nominate Mike Huckabee as Ambassador to Israel.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if Desantis would pick Altman, not sure Altman has enough personal loyalty to Desantis. But Altman certainly has been auditioning for the job or some job in politics.
ReplyDeleteI find it hilarious that anyone would think someone would give up a federal judgeship to be an ambassador. Even to Israel. Who's our current ambassador to Israel, answer quickly without googling. Exactly. Also Trump already announced Mike Huckabee for that oh-so-prestigious position of saying yes sir how soon sir to Netanyahu.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure why you think it would be "hilarious"; people have given up federal judgeships for (by design) short-lived executive-branch positions before. Take Judge Garland, who had a cushy and prestigious position on the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit only to become, in the eyes of many on both sides of the political spectrum, an ineffectual attorney general. For that matter, even Rubio, who could effectively be senator for life, is putting that position behind him.
DeleteWho's the current chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, answer quickly without Googling? Exactly. They take the job because it's the next thing. The resume will say "U.S. District Court Judge" forever. Adding Ambassador to X only adds, it doesn't take away.
DeleteA better question for me is, why would anyone remain a District Court Judge for 30 or 40 years? Altman took the bench when he was around 37 years old. Can you really imagine a high achieving person like Altman keeping a civil service job with no promotion for decades? I can't.
AG or Secretary of State is much more high profile and much more prestigious than ambassador. I suspect there has never in the history of the country been a lifetime-appointed federal judge who resigned to take the position of ambassador. Look at the caliber of guy its going to, Mike Huckabee. It's an insult to Altman to think that job is appropriate for him.
Delete@3:47 - what a clown comment. The current ambassador to Israel is Jack Lew, who has previously been the Secretary of the Treasury and the White House Chief of Staff.
DeleteEduardo Prado left the 5th Circuit to be the Ambassador to Argentina during the last Trump administration. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_C._Prado
DeleteGarland really blew it. He went from ‘almost’ SCOTUS to be the guy who ‘almost’ got Donald Trump, but probably got him re-elected.
DeleteQuite the end of an otherwise illustrious career.
LOL Judge Prado was about 70 years old when he left the bench.
ReplyDeleteDoes Huckaboom's appointment presage The Rapture?
Your example is a judge who was retirement age. I can see being an ambassador as a retirement age gig for sure, go live in a foreign country, host parties, etc. What do Prado, Lew, and Huckabee all have in common? They were in their 60s or 70s and at end of their career when they took the job. I can certainly see Altman as US Attorney, and he'd be a hell of a lot better than many possible Trump picks including his last SDFL pick.
ReplyDeleteThe Herald seems to think DeSantis will appoint himself to the Senate.
ReplyDeleteIF Trump indeed nominates Marco, the obvious pick would be Byron Donalds, they can then switch places in 2026 when both terms end.
DeleteI love the yardstick moving. The statement was “ I suspect there has never in the history of the country been a lifetime-appointed federal judge who resigned to take the position of ambassador.” I found one, and a Circuit judge no less, and then the criteria suddenly changed. #ClownComments
ReplyDeleteNothing better to do than gossip.
ReplyDeleteMATT GAETZ?
ReplyDeleteYep. Best way to be immunized for raping teenagers.
DeleteWow, Dave. Pretty out of touch. The “buzz” is BS. Roy isn’t stupid. There’s no way in hell he’s giving up the bench for either of those short-lived stints working for Trump.
ReplyDeleteMaybe he can go work for Matt Gaetz. Maybe he wants to work for Arbys making roast beef sandwiches. One job has honor- the other does not. My guess is he is not going anywhere except Atlanta.
ReplyDeleteNah, AC wants to go to ATL, so she won’t be embarrassed in Court anymore.
DeleteBruce Reinhart for US Attorney! Didn’t his wife join the Federalist society! He’s smarter than everyone, just ask him!
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