The political gridlock to nominate Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia’s successor is becoming much more difficult with President Barack Obama and Senate Republicans disagreeing on the nomination process.
A civil rights coalition, comprising of 200 national organizations, released a letter to two senators concerning the gridlock of a Latino judicial nominee.
The U.S. Senate has confirmed Latino judicial nominee John Michael Vazquez on Wednesday evening to serve as a judge in the Federal District Court in the District of New Jersey.
More than a year has passed since President Barack Obama nominated a Latino judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Senate has yet to confirm him.
As the U.S. celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., has called for his fellow senators to confirm several Latino judicial nominees -- supported by the non-partisan Hispanic National Bar Association.
Senate Democrats have urged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to speed up the judicial nomination process, especially for the 31 "judicial emergency vacancies" that are reportedly affecting communities.
The U.S. Senate voted and approved the first Latina to serve on the Federal Circuit Court, but one other Latino nominee still awaits his confirmation vote amidst political gridlock.
The U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary has finally scheduled an executive meeting for a vote on Judge Luis Felipe Restrepo for the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Although the Judiciary Committee announced the vote on the agenda, an actual vote on President Barack Obama's judicial nominee is not guaranteed.
Judge Luis Felipe Restrepo, currently serving for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, finally had his Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday to potentially serve on U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Meanwhile, Kara Farnandez Stoll is still waiting for the Senate's confirmation vote, nearly seven months after President Barack Obama nominated both Latinos.
The U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary has scheduled a hearing on the nomination of Judge Luis Felipe Restrepo for the Third Circuit Court after several months of delays.
