Hagan creating panel to screen job candidates

U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C., says she's creating a four-person panel to screen candidates for federal jobs such as judgeships, including vacancies on the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. That panel will help identify candidates for high-profile federal posts, including U.S. attorney positions and district court judgeships.

It's an interesting turn in how nominations for judgeships are usually handled. In earlier years, senators of the same party as the president have pretty much decided who gets nominated, though not in every case. When Ronald Reagan was president, for example, Republican Sen. Jesse Helms' preferences were usually followed. When Bill Clinton was in the White House, Democratic Sen. John Edwards' nominees were generally followed.

That didn't mean either senator got their way; Senate Democrats nixed Helms' appointees several times when it came to confirmation, and Republicans did the same to Edwards' nominees. The one exception was when Edwards and Elizabeth Dole collaborated and agreed upon the nomination of Republican Allyson Duncan for the 4th Circuit in 2003.

Hagan has pledged to work with Republican Sen. Richard Burr, and Burr has said much the same thing. They both want to fill a longtime vacancy on the court usually reserved for a North Carolinian.

Here's what Hagan said Thursday about her screening panel:


WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Kay R. Hagan (D-NC) announced today that she will establish a statewide panel to screen candidates from North Carolina for appointments to key federal positions. The panel will report to Senator Hagan, who will in turn make recommendations to the White House for United States Attorneys and Federal District Court Judgeships. In addition, Senator Hagan has pledged to work with Senator Burr and her colleagues in the Senate, as well as with the White House, to ensure that North Carolina receives appropriate representation on the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals. This committee will also screen candidates for available positions on the 4th Circuit.

“This committee will be comprised of experienced professionals from across the state and will help ensure that the most qualified and competent candidates are ultimately selected for recommendation to the federal judiciary and U.S. Attorney positions,” said Hagan. “In the past, judicial nominations from both sides of the aisle have been delayed and often derailed because of partisan objections and bickering, regardless of the credentials of the nominees. I am committed to working with President Obama, Senator Burr, the Judiciary Committee, and my colleagues in the Senate to ensure that North Carolina’s interests are served on the federal benches.”
The committee will consist of four members total: one member each from the eastern, western and central regions of North Carolina, and one chairman selected from anywhere in the state.

In addition to recommending U.S. Attorneys and Federal District Court Judges, Senator Hagan has made filling the current vacancy on the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, open since 1994, a key priority. Senator Hagan has discussed the inequity of representation on the court with White House Counsel Greg Craig and President Obama himself.