The confirmation of N. Randy Smith is one of the more interesting tales of the Blue Slip process. Smith was a fairly prominent Idaho attorney at the time of his initial nomination.
George W. Bush originally nominated Smith to the seat being vacated by Stephen Trott, whose chambers were in Boise. However, Diane Feinstein and Barbara Boxer argued that Trott held a "California seat," since his legal career had been in California prior to his federal service and Trott himself had replaced another judge from California.
Because of Feinstein and Boxer's objections, Smith's nomination languished. A year later, Thomas Nelson, whose chambers were also in Boise, took senior status and President Bush switched Smith's nomination from the Trott seat to the Nelson seat. The Senate then confirmed Smith by a vote of 94-0.
I think you are correct. He chose to move to Boise after becoming a member of the Ninth Circuit -- kind of like Charles Wiggins, who also held another "California seat," though his chambers were in Las Vegas.
The confirmation of N. Randy Smith is one of the more interesting tales of the Blue Slip process. Smith was a fairly prominent Idaho attorney at the time of his initial nomination.
George W. Bush originally nominated Smith to the seat being vacated by Stephen Trott, whose chambers were in Boise. However, Diane Feinstein and Barbara Boxer argued that Trott held a "California seat," since his legal career had been in California prior to his federal service and Trott himself had replaced another judge from California.
Because of Feinstein and Boxer's objections, Smith's nomination languished. A year later, Thomas Nelson, whose chambers were also in Boise, took senior status and President Bush switched Smith's nomination from the Trott seat to the Nelson seat. The Senate then confirmed Smith by a vote of 94-0.
Yes. I might be mistaken, but I have in mind that Trott initially had his chambers in California.
I think you are correct. He chose to move to Boise after becoming a member of the Ninth Circuit -- kind of like Charles Wiggins, who also held another "California seat," though his chambers were in Las Vegas.
Thanks. I hadn’t realized that Wiggins (my former congressman) had his chambers in Las Vegas.