PROPERTY RIGHTS: Trump pick for 'rather esoteric court' fuels political storm (Greenwire, 06/21/17)
Amanda Reilly: Glenn Sugameli, an environmental attorney who founded the Judging the Environment project, said that the vagaries of takings law and lack of Supreme Court direction on key issues leave room for creativity in lawsuits brought before the claims court. "A creative judge, an activist judge, can basically come up with a ruling which may ultimately be reversed on appeal but is not on its face clearly absurd in a way that would prevent it from being issued in the first place," he said.... Sugameli acknowledged that, as with other appeals courts around the country, the Federal Circuit "balances" out rulings by the Court of Federal Claims. In the meantime, though, he said that "the law can be muddled, unjustifiable confusion can be introduced." He added, "A lot of state courts from around the country, when they deal with a question of whether a state or local safeguard is a taking of private property, they will look for guidance to decisions from the Court of Federal Claims and the Federal Circuit."

Panel to vet nominee behind key takings, species cases (Environment & Energy (E & E) Daily, 06/12/17)
Amanda Reilly: Glenn Sugameli, an environmental attorney who founded and heads the Judging the Environment project, said he was concerned with Schiff's work at PLF. The group pushes "a very extreme unjustifiable version that only looks at the potential development of property and really ignores or fails to consider the impact that that would have on neighboring property and the public and the environment at large," Sugameli said.

White House no longer wants ABA evaluations for judicial spots (Indiana Lawyer, 04/03/17)
Marilyn Odendahl: But the reports provided to the Senate committee will come after the nominee has been introduced to the public. Glenn Sugameli, director of the Judging the Environment Project which monitors federal judicial nominations, said in the past, some individuals being considered for a federal judgeship were rejected after the ABA raised concerns about their qualifications or temperament. This allowed the White House to avoid a potentially disastrous nominee altogether.... Sugameli pointed to what he called the irony that the administration announced it will forego the ABA evaluations during the time when it and Senate Republicans are touting the high rating given to Supreme Court nominee Judge Neil Gorsuch. Indeed Judiciary chair Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, boasted after the ABA gave Gorsuch a unanimously well qualified rating. “Why is it relevant for this nomination but not for others?” Sugameli asked of the ABA evaluations.

Reactions to the Gorsuch nomination (SCOTUSBlog, 02/06/17)
Andrew Hamm: Judging the Environment links to more reactions from senators.[link]

Message To Dems: Block Neil Gorsuch Nomination 'Using All Available Means' President Trump's pick for U.S. Supreme Court called 'extreme' and 'disastrous' (Common Dreams, 01/31/17)
Lauren McCauley: as Climate Central's John Upton pointed out on Monday, "A broad refusal by Senate Republicans to approve judicial nominees during the last two years of Obama's second term means Trump could move quickly to fill 114 vacant federal judge positions. U.S. Courts data shows that to be the most vacancies in at least 20 years." Glenn Sugameli, an attorney for the nonprofit Defenders of Wildlife, told Upton that this creates "more opportunities for bad judges to get confirmed, for bad decisions to be issued, and for courts to tilt."

Record Judge Vacancies Could See Trump Recast Courts (Climate Central, 01/27/17)
John Upton: By appointing federal judges with similar views, Trump could make it harder for future administrations to secure courtroom approvals for new climate rules for decades to come. “It’s a very serious problem,” said Glenn Sugameli, an attorney for the nonprofit Defenders of Wildlife who tracks federal judge vacancies and nominations. “It does create more opportunities for bad judges to get confirmed, for bad decisions to be issued, and for courts to tilt.”

Indiana’s judicial nominees headed toward disappointment (Indiana Lawyer, 12/28/16)
Marilyn Odendahl: Attorney Glenn Sugameli asserts there is no reason for the Senate to delay confirmations for the nominees waiting for a floor vote. These individuals have already cleared many of the hurdles to a final vote, including being vetted by the FBI and the American Bar Association and getting the approval of the judiciary committee. Sugameli is the founder of Judging the Environment, a nonprofit judicial watchdog organization. He does not see any reason that Donnelly and Young could not push forward Ong’s nomination. Also, he said, it is conceivable that Young could support Selby, a partner at Ice Miller LLP in Indianapolis, for the Chicago-based court. Overall, the federal courts have 105 vacancies with 38 having been designated a judicial emergency, including the vacancy in the District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, according to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. The empty seats coupled with some Republican senators, namely from Idaho and Texas, clamoring for their nominees to be confirmed, could prompt the Senate could act. “I think there’s going to be pressure on the new Senate to show they can do their job,” Sugameli said, noting “a pretty easy” accomplishment would be to confirm the pending nominees.

Trump's Federal Judges in Pa. May Break With Centrist Tradition (Legal Intelligencer, 11/10/16)
P.J. D'Annunzio: "The real leverage the senators have is the blue slip," Tobias said. "You get embroiled in these long stalemates with the home senators, and there's just no incentive for that. The president would be crazy to fight that." And the blue slip tradition is one that is not likely be abandoned by the Senate, according to Glenn Sugameli, a Washington, D.C.-based lawyer who tracks judicial vacancies. "It's a matter of senatorial power and senators do not want to give up power," Sugameli said. He added that without the senators' blue slips, Trump's nominees would go nowhere. The only reason a president would make a nomination without expecting senatorial support would be to make a point, say over judicial vacancies, Sugameli said.

Ong still has path to Southern District seat (Indiana Lawyer, 11/09/16)
Marilyn Odendahl: Glenn Sugameli, attorney and founder of the nonprofit judicial watchdog group, Judging the Environment, said Ong still could get a confirmation vote before the end of the year but the prospects for Selby are now much dimmer. Selby’s nomination has been hindered by Coats’ refusal to sign his blue slip in support. Instead the Senator has called for the formation of a nominating commission to recommend potential candidates because the vacancy on the 7th Circuit has not been deemed an emergency. The vacancy in the Southern Indiana District, created when Judge Sarah Evans Barker took senior status in June 2014, has been designated a judicial emergency because of the high caseload. In applauding Ong’s nomination, Coats has cited the emergency as the key reason for his support. “If Coats really wants Ong, I think he certainly could get it done,” Sugameli said, “and I think he should get it done because of the strong need to fill the judicial emergency.”

Friday round-up (SCOTUSBlog, 10/14/16)
Edith Roberts, Editor: • At The Progressive Pulse, Melissa Boughton reports that “there have been 638 editorials written by more than 300 editorial boards in every U.S. state urging the Senate to hold hearings on President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nomination of Merrick Garland.” [Judging the Environment's Editorial compilation]

Law professor calls for Selby to be confirmed to 7th Circuit (Indiana Lawyer, 10/07/16)
Marilyn Odendahl: "Glenn Sugameli, attorney and founder of the group Judging the Environment, believes the nominees for the circuit courts who have passed through the committee could still get a vote by the full Senate before the end of the year.... Sugameli said Schott could be a floor vote after the presidential election. But he is more confident that Winfield Ong will be confirmed for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana. Ong was nominated in January 2016 to fill the seat of Judge Sarah Evans Barker, who took senior status in June 2014. The judiciary committee unanimously approved Ong’s nomination in June 2016. Coats is supporting Ong’s nomination because the Southern District vacancy has been labeled a judicial emergency. “I’m still optimistic,” Sugameli said of the potential for judicial nominees to be confirmed. “There is such a need to fill long-term vacancies, many of which have been declared judicial emergencies, and so many home state Republican senators pushing for (the nominees), I think there will be a critical mass to push for action.”"

Sen. Cory Booker spars with Sen. Mitch McConnell over refusal to address backlog of nominees (Record [NJ] , 09/20/16)
Herb Jackson: "After verbally sparring with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Sen. Cory Booker lost two attempts Tuesday to get the Senate to vote on stalled judicial nominees, including the top lawyer for Bergen County’s government, who was nominated by President Obama 19 months ago. The federal judiciary in New Jersey has been declared in a state of emergency because of its caseload and unfilled judgeships. ... “There’s no credible reason why we’re not moving forward besides partisanship,” Booker said .... Booker noted that all but two of the 25 judicial nominees waiting for votes got through the Judiciary Committee on unanimous voice votes, indicating there are no substantive objections to the choices. Booker said he still hoped an agreement could be reached .... The key to an agreement could be nominees from Pennsylvania, according to Glenn Sugameli, founder of a group that watches nominations called Judging the Environment. Sen. Patrick Toomey, a Pennsylvania Republican, faces a tough re-election campaign and has been battling to get votes for two nominees who cleared the Judiciary Committee on Jan. 28, Sugameli noted."

Tom Cotton continues two-year blockade of judge confirmations (Arkansas Times, 09/14/16)
Max Brantley: "Sen. Tom Cotton continues to mount a one-man blockade to confirmation of judges to the depleted federal court of claims. Thanks as ever to Glenn Sugameli of Judging the Environment, a judicial nominations project, for the update. Tuesday, Cotton again blocked votes on five nominees twice approved unanimously by the Republican-controlled Senate Judiciary Committee to a court with six vacancies. Cotton said he's not convinced the court needs more hands. Despite the two years of deliberation on these nominations and support from his own party, Cotton characterizes the process as a "rubber stamp" of presidential nominations. With the Senate needing unanimous consent to move a vote, Cotton alone blocked it. Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy said in a statement: '... Senate Republicans' obstruction playbook leaves no court behind. It spans from the very top, with their complete refusal to give a hearing and a vote to Chief Judge Merrick Garland, to the article III circuit and district courts, to the article I Court of Federal Claims, where citizens go to sue their government. This blockade of all five CFC nominees makes no sense, especially because not a single Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee raised a concern about these nominees either during the committee hearings on these nominations 2 years ago or during the Committee debate 2 years ago or last year.' You could say Tom Cotton does not play well with others."

POLITICS Senate panel cracks logjam in shortage of federal judges in Texas (Houston News [TX], 09/08/16)
“There are plenty of reasons these seats should be filled, and need to be filled, and should have been filled a long time ago,” said Glenn Sugameli, a senior attorney for Defenders of Wildlife. “Justice delayed is literally justice denied.”

Cruz, Cornyn Try to Deliver Five New Federal Judges for Texas (Texas Public Radio, 09/07/16)
JULIÁN AGUILAR & THE TEXAS TRIBUNE: Glenn Sugameli, an environmental attorney and activist who tracks judicial nominations, said the Eastern District of Texas demonstrates the real-time damage the vacancies cause. The district is the preferred venue for patent litigation, which has been held up during the current crisis. “When there are not enough judges, cases get delayed, people die, people forget things, documents are lost, all sorts of things happen,” he said. “That means that even if and when you do get to a case, it may be too late to even get justice. Justice delayed is justice denied.”

Senate panel cracks logjam in shortage of federal judges in Texas (Houston Chronicle, 09/07/16)
Kevin Diaz: The Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony Wednesday from five nominees to fill vacancies on federal courts in Texas, among 12 openings in a state long plagued by U.S. district court backlogs. The hearing, led by Texas U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, could represent a crack in the political logjam that has created a nationwide shortage of federal judges, legal analysts say.... None of the nominees is considered controversial.... There are currently 22 pending judicial nominations on the Senate floor, some who have been awaiting confirmation votes for a year or more.... "There are plenty of reasons these seats should be filled, and need to be filled, and should have been filled a long time ago," said Glenn Sugameli, a senior attorney for Defenders of Wildlife. "Justice delayed is literally justice denied."

Clock ticking for Senate vote on Tenn. judicial nominee, others (Knoxville News Sentinel [TN], 09/05/16)
"There is absolutely no reason why all of these judges should not be confirmed, other than sheer obstructionism," said Glenn Sugameli, a Washington attorney and founder of the nonprofit group Judging the Environment, which closely tracks judicial nominations. Stanton, the U.S. attorney for Tennessee's Western District, has waited almost a year for a floor vote on his nomination.... No one questions his qualifications. He's backed by the state's two Republican senators, Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker. He's almost certain to be confirmed, if the GOP ever agrees to give him a vote. Stanton isn't the only nominee in limbo. Twenty-seven await votes on the Senate floor, and, like Stanton, 18 would fill seats on federal district courts where cases are first heard..... most of Obama's nominees were confirmed when the Senate was under Democratic control. Republicans have confirmed just 22 judicial nominees since they returned to power in January 2015. What's more, Obama has faced more vacancies than Bush, which is why his overall number of confirmations is slightly higher, Sugameli said.

Dems want vote on Obama's judicial nominees (Cincinnati Enquirer [OH] , 09/04/16)
"“There is absolutely no reason why all of these judges should not be confirmed, other than sheer obstructionism,” said Glenn Sugameli, a Washington attorney and founder of the nonprofit group Judging the Environment, which closely tracks judicial nominations."

Dems want vote on Obama's judicial nominees (Hattiesburg American [MS], 09/04/16)
“There is absolutely no reason why all of these judges should not be confirmed, other than sheer obstructionism,” said Glenn Sugameli, a Washington attorney and founder of the nonprofit group Judging the Environment, which closely tracks judicial nominations.

Democrats ratchet up pressure to approve TN judge nominee (Indianapolis Star [IN], 09/04/16)
Michael Collins, USA Today: “There is absolutely no reason why all of these judges should not be confirmed, other than sheer obstructionism,” said Glenn Sugameli, a Washington attorney and founder of the nonprofit group Judging the Environment, which closely tracks judicial nominations.... What’s more, Obama has faced more vacancies than Bush, which is why his overall number of confirmations is slightly higher, Sugameli said.

Dems want vote on Obama's judicial nominees (Tallahassee Democrat [FL] , 09/04/16)
MICHAEL COLLINS, USA TODAY Network: “There is absolutely no reason why all of these judges should not be confirmed, other than sheer obstructionism,” said Glenn Sugameli, a Washington attorney and founder of the nonprofit group Judging the Environment, which closely tracks judicial nominations.

Democrats ratchet up pressure to approve TN judge nominee (Alamogordo Daily News [NM], 09/04/16)
:"“There is absolutely no reason why all of these judges should not be confirmed, other than sheer obstructionism,” said Glenn Sugameli, a Washington attorney and founder of the nonprofit group Judging the Environment [link], which closely tracks judicial nominations."

Democrats ratchet up pressure to approve TN judge nominee (Las Cruces Sun-News [NM], 09/04/16)
Michael Collins, USA TODAY: "There is absolutely no reason why all of these judges should not be confirmed, other than sheer obstructionism," said Glenn Sugameli, a Washington attorney and founder of the nonprofit group Judging the Environment, which closely tracks judicial nominations.... What's more, Obama has faced more vacancies than Bush, which is why his overall number of confirmations is slightly higher, Sugameli said.

Democrats ratchet up pressure to approve TN judge nominee (Tennessean, 09/04/16)
Michael Collins, USA TODAY: "There is absolutely no reason why all of these judges should not be confirmed, other than sheer obstructionism," said Glenn Sugameli, a Washington attorney and founder of the nonprofit group Judging the Environment, which closely tracks judicial nominations.... What's more, Obama has faced more vacancies than Bush, which is why his overall number of confirmations is slightly higher, Sugameli said.

Democrats ratchet up pressure to approve TN judge nominee (Arizona Republic, 09/04/16)
"“There is absolutely no reason why all of these judges should not be confirmed, other than sheer obstructionism,” said Glenn Sugameli, a Washington attorney and founder of the nonprofit group Judging the Environment, which closely tracks judicial nominations."

Democrats ratchet up pressure to approve TN judge nominee (St. Cloud Times [MN], 09/04/16)
"“There is absolutely no reason why all of these judges should not be confirmed, other than sheer obstructionism,” said Glenn Sugameli, a Washington attorney and founder of the nonprofit group Judging the Environment [link], which closely tracks judicial nominations."

Dems want vote on Obama's judicial nominees (Desert Sun [Palm Springs, CA], 09/04/16)
Michael Collins, USA TODAY Network: "There is absolutely no reason why all of these judges should not be confirmed, other than sheer obstructionism," said Glenn Sugameli, a Washington attorney and founder of the nonprofit group Judging the Environment, which closely tracks judicial nominations.... What's more, Obama has faced more vacancies than Bush, which is why his overall number of confirmations is slightly higher, Sugameli said.

Dems want vote on Obama's judicial nominees (El Paso Times [TX], 09/04/16)
MICHAEL COLLINS, USA TODAY Network: “There is absolutely no reason why all of these judges should not be confirmed, other than sheer obstructionism,” said Glenn Sugameli, a Washington attorney and founder of the nonprofit group Judging the Environment, which closely tracks judicial nominations.

Dems want vote on Obama's judicial nominees (Reno Gazette-Journal [NV], 09/04/16)
Michael Collins, USA TODAY Network: "There is absolutely no reason why all of these judges should not be confirmed, other than sheer obstructionism," said Glenn Sugameli, a Washington attorney and founder of the nonprofit group Judging the Environment, which closely tracks judicial nominations.... What's more, Obama has faced more vacancies than Bush, which is why his overall number of confirmations is slightly higher, Sugameli said.

Democrats ratchet up pressure to approve TN judge nominee (Baxter Bulletin [Ark.], 09/04/16)
“There is absolutely no reason why all of these judges should not be confirmed, other than sheer obstructionism,” said Glenn Sugameli, a Washington attorney and founder of the nonprofit group Judging the Environment [link], which closely tracks judicial nominations.

Dems want vote on Obama's judicial nominees (Livingston Daily [MI], 09/04/16)
“There is absolutely no reason why all of these judges should not be confirmed, other than sheer obstructionism,” said Glenn Sugameli, a Washington attorney and founder of the nonprofit group Judging the Environment, which closely tracks judicial nominations."

Dems want vote on Obama's judicial nominees (Newark Advocate [OH], 09/04/16)
"“There is absolutely no reason why all of these judges should not be confirmed, other than sheer obstructionism,” said Glenn Sugameli, a Washington attorney and founder of the nonprofit group Judging the Environment, which closely tracks judicial nominations."

Democrats ratchet up pressure to approve TN judge nominee (Asheville Citizen-Times [NC] , 09/04/16)
“There is absolutely no reason why all of these judges should not be confirmed, other than sheer obstructionism,” said Glenn Sugameli, a Washington attorney and founder of the nonprofit group Judging the Environment [Link], which closely tracks judicial nominations."

Dems want vote on Obama's judicial nominees (Burlington Free Press [VT] , 09/04/16)
“There is absolutely no reason why all of these judges should not be confirmed, other than sheer obstructionism,” said Glenn Sugameli, a Washington attorney and founder of the nonprofit group Judging the Environment, which closely tracks judicial nominations.

Dems want vote on Obama's judicial nominees (Jackson Sun [TN], 09/04/16)
“There is absolutely no reason why all of these judges should not be confirmed, other than sheer obstructionism,” said Glenn Sugameli, a Washington attorney and founder of the nonprofit group Judging the Environment, which closely tracks judicial nominations....What’s more, Obama has faced more vacancies than Bush, which is why his overall number of confirmations is slightly higher, Sugameli said.

Dems want vote on Obama's judicial nominees (Detroit Free Press [MI] , 09/04/16)
"“There is absolutely no reason why all of these judges should not be confirmed, other than sheer obstructionism,” said Glenn Sugameli, a Washington attorney and founder of the nonprofit group Judging the Environment, which closely tracks judicial nominations."

Dems want vote on Obama's judicial nominees (Evansville Courier Press [IN] , 09/04/16)
"“There is absolutely no reason why all of these judges should not be confirmed, other than sheer obstructionism,” said Glenn Sugameli, a Washington attorney and founder of the nonprofit group Judging the Environment, which closely tracks judicial nominations."

Dems want vote on Obama's judicial nominees (Central Florida Future, 09/04/16)
"“There is absolutely no reason why all of these judges should not be confirmed, other than sheer obstructionism,” said Glenn Sugameli, a Washington attorney and founder of the nonprofit group Judging the Environment, which closely tracks judicial nominations."

Dems want vote on Obama's judicial nominees (Star Press [Muncie, IN], 09/04/16)
“There is absolutely no reason why all of these judges should not be confirmed, other than sheer obstructionism,” said Glenn Sugameli, a Washington attorney and founder of the nonprofit group Judging the Environment, which closely tracks judicial nominations."

Dems want vote on Obama's judicial nominees (Leaf Chronicle [TN], 09/04/16)
“There is absolutely no reason why all of these judges should not be confirmed, other than sheer obstructionism,” said Glenn Sugameli, a Washington attorney and founder of the nonprofit group Judging the Environment, which closely tracks judicial nominations."

Dems want vote on Obama's judicial nominees (Clarion-Ledger [MS] , 09/04/16)
Michael Collins, USA TODAY Network: "There is absolutely no reason why all of these judges should not be confirmed, other than sheer obstructionism," said Glenn Sugameli, a Washington attorney and founder of the nonprofit group Judging the Environment, which closely tracks judicial nominations.... What's more, Obama has faced more vacancies than Bush, which is why his overall number of confirmations is slightly higher, Sugameli said.

Dems want vote on Obama's judicial nominees (Democrat and Chronicle [NY] , 09/04/16)
MICHAEL COLLINS, USA TODAY Network: “There is absolutely no reason why all of these judges should not be confirmed, other than sheer obstructionism,” said Glenn Sugameli, a Washington attorney and founder of the nonprofit group Judging the Environment, which closely tracks judicial nominations.

Time Running Out To Get Indiana Judicial Nominees Confirmed (City-County Observer [Evansville, IN], 08/04/16)
"Glenn Sugameli, attorney and founder of the nonprofit Judging the Environment which follows judicial nominations, described Tillis’s argument as “smoke and mirrors.” He said the 89 current vacancies, up from 43 in January 2015, is higher than they were during the Bush administration. Also filling seats in some jurisdictions does not help individuals and businesses in other districts that are having to wait longer for the cases to be heard because there are not enough judges available.... Sugameli echoed Warren in saying the vacancies on the courts are causing problems for litigants. He said in his experience as an attorney representing individuals, companies and trade associations, the parties wanted a decision from the court, win or lose, so they could move forward. However, the delay in getting civil cases before a judge is putting people in limbo. “It is absolutely inexcusable,” Sugameli said. “The irony is it isn’t hurting Obama. It’s hurting people and businesses in districts without judges.”"

Obstructionist Tom Cotton: Speech light on Trump references (Arkansas Times, 07/19/16)
Max Brantley: "A legal website, Law360, wrote this week about Cotton's continuing obstruction of judicial appointments, particularly to the federal court of claims. The article demolishes Cotton's pretexts for refusing to fill seats on the important court and again raises an implication that he might be serving the special interest of a former law firm in doing so. ... court with a rising caseload isn't getting the help it needs. Tom Cotton stands in the way, despite multiple approvals of bipartisan-approved nominees for vacancies. "The ability of the court to decide cases is being inexcusably harmed by Sen. Cotton's failure to do his job," said Glenn Sugameli, founder of Judging the Environment and a senior attorney at Defenders of Wildlife. "There's an advise and consent duty." A prominent example of the problems the court faces without a full bench came in Judge Mary Ellen Coster Williams' comments at an October scheduling conference, in a case filed by the Jicarilla Apache Nation, according to Sugameli. While noting she could possibly hand trial off to another judge, Judge Williams said that she would otherwise have to move a trial originally scheduled for November back to July, her earliest available opening, with "a lot" of emergency cases to resolve first. "There's real, specific evidence that this is hurting the ability to resolve cases," Sugameli said."

Time running out to get Indiana judicial nominees confirmed (Indiana Lawyer, 07/14/16)
"Glenn Sugameli, attorney and founder of the nonprofit Judging the Environment which follows judicial nominations, described Tillis’s argument as “smoke and mirrors.” He said the 89 current vacancies, up from 43 in January 2015, is higher than they were during the Bush administration. Also filling seats in some jurisdictions does not help individuals and businesses in other districts that are having to wait longer for the cases to be heard because there are not enough judges available.... Sugameli echoed Warren in saying the vacancies on the courts are causing problems for litigants. He said in his experience as an attorney representing individuals, companies and trade associations, the parties wanted a decision from the court, win or lose, so they could move forward. However, the delay in getting civil cases before a judge is putting people in limbo. “It is absolutely inexcusable,” Sugameli said. “The irony is it isn’t hurting Obama. It’s hurting people and businesses in districts without judges.” Ong is at the bottom of the list of 16 District Court nominees waiting for a Senate vote. Sugameli and Carl Tobias, University of Richmond School of Law professor and expert on the federal judicial confirmation process, note there is still a window for Ong to get confirmed. The Senate goes back into session in September and could hold votes on some of the nominees then. There is precedent. In 2008, the Senate held hearings and confirmed 10 of Bush’s nominees in September."

So He Went There. (South Florida Lawyers, 06/09/16)
"That scoundrel, Marco Rubio discredited himself even further yesterday: "For about a year, Rubio has said little publicly about why he won’t allow a vote on Mary Barzee Flores." But Rubio and his office say there has been so much misinformation spread that he now feels compelled to go public with unflattering specifics about Barzee Flores that, out of respect to her, he tried to keep quiet. 2OH SURE!!!! Nothing like using the power of political office to smear a decent, talented public servant who would make a wise and fair federal jurist." [Glenn Sugameli source label]

The "Thurmond Rule" and other advice and consent myths (Brookings, 05/25/16)
Russell Wheeler: "Republican senators in other states [link to Judging the Environment website compilation of links and excerpts to GOP Senator statements supporting judicial nominees] have expressed support for confirming at least some of the nominees in their states"

Supreme Court vacancy watch Day 89: Pat Toomey's 'political stunt' fails (Daily Kos, 05/12/16)
Joan McCarter: Glenn Sugameli, a lawyer and activist who tracks court vacancies, said Mr. Toomey is cherry-picking nominees even though he knows the full Senate would never agree to take them up out of order. “It’s a political stunt that certainly appears to be for optics,” Mr. Sugameli said. “Objectively, he must have known that this would not work. If he had been serious he could have joined Sen. Casey on the floor the day before.”

Letter: Judicial appointments are mired in politics (Times-News [Burlington, NC], 05/10/16)
Glenn Sugameli heads the nonpartisan Judging the Environment judicial nominations project: "Based on my 15 years of tracking federal judicial vacancies and nominations, I offer some national and historical context on your persuasive editorial ... . Justice delayed will continue to be justice denied for North Carolina people and businesses, as U.S. Sen. Richard Burr blocks former N.C. Supreme Court Justice Patricia Timmons-Goodson’s nomination to the Eastern District of North Carolina trial court. In addition to her “bonfides” you cite, the American Bar Association gave Timmons-Goodson’s nomination its highest rating: unanimously well-qualified. Senator Burr previously blocked, without explanation, President Obama’s first nominee, who Sen. Burr had recommended, for the same vacancy. Empty for more than a decade, it is the nation’s oldest vacancy by more than four years, and the U.S. Courts have declared it a “judicial emergency.”... Senator Burr’s position, however, is in stark contrast to his fellow Republican senators from Mississippi to Wyoming who have worked with the White House to fill all judgeships in their states, and to many more who are continuing to do so. My nonpartisan website has compiled statements by Republican Senators from 14 States supporting pending nominees and urging action to fill their judicial vacancies. Sadly, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is denying a hearing on Chief Judge Merrick Garland’s Supreme Court nomination, and delaying floor votes on 20 judicial nominees the Judiciary Committee approved unanimously months ago."

Idaho and Washington state reflect big rift in Supreme Court fight (Charlotte Observer [NC] , 04/13/16)
"Glenn Sugameli, a Defenders of Wildlife senior attorney who tracks judicial nominees, said Wednesday that more than 500 newspaper editorials had urged the Senate to hold hearings."

Idaho and Washington state reflect big rift in Supreme Court fight (Belleville News-Democrat [IL], 04/13/16)
"Glenn Sugameli, a Defenders of Wildlife senior attorney who tracks judicial nominees, said Wednesday that more than 500 newspaper editorials had urged the Senate to hold hearings."

Idaho and Washington state reflect big rift in Supreme Court fight (Herald [Bradenton, FL] , 04/13/16)
"Glenn Sugameli, a Defenders of Wildlife senior attorney who tracks judicial nominees, said Wednesday that more than 500 newspaper editorials had urged the Senate to hold hearings."

Idaho and Washington state reflect big rift in Supreme Court fight (Bellingham Herald [WA] , 04/13/16)
"Glenn Sugameli, a Defenders of Wildlife senior attorney who tracks judicial nominees, said Wednesday that more than 500 newspaper editorials had urged the Senate to hold hearings."

Idaho and Washington state reflect big rift in Supreme Court fight (Idaho Statesman, 04/13/16)
"Glenn Sugameli, a Defenders of Wildlife senior attorney who tracks judicial nominees, said Wednesday that more than 500 newspaper editorials had urged the Senate to hold hearings."

Idaho and Washington state reflect big rift in Supreme Court fight (Fresno Bee [CA] , 04/13/16)
"Glenn Sugameli, a Defenders of Wildlife senior attorney who tracks judicial nominees, said Wednesday that more than 500 newspaper editorials had urged the Senate to hold hearings."

Idaho and Washington state reflect big rift in Supreme Court fight (Sacramento Bee [CA] , 04/13/16)
"Glenn Sugameli, a Defenders of Wildlife senior attorney who tracks judicial nominees, said Wednesday that more than 500 newspaper editorials had urged the Senate to hold hearings."

Idaho and Washington state reflect big rift in Supreme Court fight (Modesto Bee [CA], 04/13/16)
"Glenn Sugameli, a Defenders of Wildlife senior attorney who tracks judicial nominees, said Wednesday that more than 500 newspaper editorials had urged the Senate to hold hearings."

LAW: Liberals hammer Grassley on lower-court nominees  (Environment & Energy (E & E) Daily, 04/07/16)
"Several dozen groups including [Defenders of Wildlife and other] environmentalists, labor organizations and civil rights advocates sent a letter to Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today, pressing him to take action on seven federal appeals court nominees and dozens of nominees for federal district courts. ... "While a great deal of public attention has rightly been focused on the pending nomination of Chief Judge Merrick Garland to the U.S. Supreme Court, vacancies on the lower courts must not be lost amidst the debate," says the letter sent by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and 42 other organizations. Many of the nominees "would fill seats in districts that are currently facing judicial emergencies," the letter says. Many of those nominees come from states where both senators have indicated their approval, the letter says, which should normally "clear the way for hearings and up-or-down confirmation votes. Instead, these nominees have fallen victim to election-year gamesmanship." The seven appeals court nominees are Rebecca Haywood for the 3rd Circuit, Lisabeth Hughes for the 6th Circuit, Donald Schott and Myra Selby for the 7th Circuit, Jennifer Puhl for the 8th Circuit, Lucy Koh for the 9th Circuit, and Abdul Kallon for the 11th Circuit. "The Committee has a constitutional responsibility to provide advice and consent on presidential nominees, and a duty to the American people to simply do its job. In the coming weeks and months, our organizations will continue to make the case until it does," the groups wrote."

Supreme Court fight could fast-track lower court noms [Print Subhead: While Republicans block Garland, lawmakers will still want to advance other judges to save face] (Examiner, 03/21/16)
"The pressure should be on to move non-controversial nominees ... to show they can get something done," said Glenn Sugameli, who runs a nonpartisan judicial nominations project called Judging the Environment. Sugameli referred to the "Thurmond rule," named after the late Sen. Strom Thurmond, R-S.C. It means that if the same party does not control the presidency and the Senate, movement on judicial nominees will slow and ultimately cease in a president's final year. But the rule was never meant to apply to "consensus nominees," Sugameli said, noting most of the pending district and circuit court candidates were vetted by Republicans and Democrats and have the blessing of their home-state senators, many of whom are Republicans. Sugameli said the Senate routinely confirmed consensus lower-court nominees well into September, and sometimes even in lame-duck sessions, because the process of getting candidates to the floor is so lengthy and so many jurisdictions are "judicial emergencies" as defined by the federal judiciary. "What is the point" of blocking nominees who have the backing of their home-state senators, Sugameli asked.

SUPREME COURT: Green machine ready to back White House in nominee brawl  (Environment & Energy (E & E) Daily, 03/15/16)
"I am absolutely sure that there is unanimous and united and very strong and active support within the environmental community for the need for a nomination, the need for a hearing on the nominee and the need for a vote on the nominee," said Glenn Sugameli, a staff attorney at Defenders of Wildlife who heads a project that keeps tabs on nominees to federal courts. "The members of environmental groups understand how important the federal courts are for upholding and enforcing environmental law," Sugameli said. Still, he added, interest groups will delve into the eventual nominee's record once Obama's choice is announced. Among the candidates rumored to be in the running, "I don't see real issues arising," he said.

Rubio holds up Obama nominee he once backed for Miami federal bench (Miami Herald, 02/28/16)
A Washington, D.C., lawyer who methodically follows federal judicial nominations, said it is “very unusual” for a U.S. senator to recommend a candidate for a federal judgeship and then hold it up during the confirmation process. Glenn Sugameli, an attorney with Judging the Environment, said Rubio’s puzzling stance on Flores is actually part of a broader GOP mission to run out the clock on Obama’s judicial nominations. “This is not some special circumstances,” Sugameli said. “They have been doing this during the entire Obama presidency.”

Toomey Urges Committee to Approve Judicial Nominees (Legal Intelligencer, 02/25/16)
But the question remains as to whether the GOP leadership’s vow to block any replacement for Justice Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court until after the presidential election will affect pending nominees for the lower courts. Glenn Sugameli, a Washington D.C.-based attorney tracking judicial vacancies, said it shouldn’t—there are other factors at play. If Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Grassley refused to consider an Obama nominee to fill Scalia’s seat because it’s a unique vacancy that only recently opened up, Sugameli said, they would hold floor votes on the 17 trial judge nominees the Judiciary Committee approved on voice votes last year, and hold hearings and votes on all nominees to fill vacancies that preceded this year.

SUPREME COURT: Green groups ready ... for confirmation fight (Environment & Energy (E & E) Daily, 02/23/16)
Glenn Sugameli, a senior attorney for Defenders of Wildlife, told E&E Daily he has been working "full time" on the Supreme Court nomination battle since news of Scalia's death went public. "Clearly, this is going to be a major issue for however long it takes to fill the seat," Sugameli said. "This is something that needs to be done." Without a replacement for Scalia, Supreme Court tie votes would leave lower court rulings in place, which could benefit the president's agenda. Still, Sugameli said the high court was necessary to clear up conflicting rulings. "The Court being now split 4-4 could lead to paralysis," Sugameli said. "It doesn't just leave lower court decisions alone. It leaves competing lower court decisions alone." Sugameli is also founder of Judging the Environment, a research project of Defenders of Wildlife that advises environmental groups on federal judicial nominations. Since Scalia's passing, he has been sending emails to members of the press and supporters and compiling newspaper editorial board statements in support of Senate action on Obama's upcoming nominee. Sugameli has also been monitoring public opinion polls and senators' statements on a potential Scalia replacement. "So many environmental issues are decided in the courts, whether they're enforced or upheld," Sugameli said. "The environmental groups need a very reasonable judge, someone who will enforce and uphold the laws that are on the books." ... Sugameli said, "There will be a nominee, and there should be a hearing, and no matter what happens in committee, that nominee should have an up-or-down vote in the full Senate."

Two Pa. Federal Judicial Nominees Pass Senate Committee (Legal Intelligencer, 01/29/16)
Glenn Sugameli, a Washington, D.C., attorney tracking judicial nominations, said it is up to Toomey to motivate the Republican leadership to confirm Pennsylvania's nominees. He added that there is still a vacant seat on the Third Circuit to consider. "The need to fill Senior Judge Marjorie Rendell's Third Circuit seat was announced more than a year ago and the seat has been empty since July 1, 2015," Sugameli said. "It is long past time for Sen. Toomey to end his roadblock and greenlight a nominee to fill this seat." Sugameli added that pushing for swift confirmation of the nominees, something that is made more complicated by an election year, would be a politically smart move. "Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell [R-Kentucky] says that his priority for floor time this year will be helping re-elect Sen. Toomey and other endangered GOP senators," Sugameli said. "From a strictly nonpartisan perspective, it is clear that if Sen. Toomey truly wants to fill his state's Third Circuit and district court vacancies, as he has repeatedly stressed, then he can get it done."

Any hope for filling Third Circuit’s empty seat in 2016? I’m skeptical. (CA3blog, 01/22/16)
"With Judge Restrepo finally on the Third Circuit, attention has turned to the Third Circuit’s other empty seat, the one created when Judge Rendell took senior status in July of last year. Even though Rendell announced her decision a year ago now, President Obama still has not nominated a replacement. P.J. D’Annunzio had this article earlier this month in the Legal Intelligencer, headlined “Pa. US Courts Still Hampered by Vacancies,” reporting that the Philadelphia Bar Association plans to write to Senators Toomey and Casey “about the urgency of filling Rendell’s seat.” Recent letters to the editor, including this one by Glenn Sugameli of Judging the Environment and this one by Christine Stone of Why Courts Matter, have sounded the same note."

Senate Judge Battle Keeps Attorneys Away (Law360, 01/15/16)
“There’s a really large number of vacancies that are unjustifiable,” Glenn Sugameli, founder of Judging the Environment and a senior attorney at Defenders of Wildlife, said. “I was a litigator for a long time … and a lot of times, my clients — [they] always wanted to win a case, to be fair — but sometimes they would rather get a decision against them than not get a decision at all. Delay really puts you in a state of limbo where you don’t know what the rules are; you can’t plan your future.” ... “I do think the White House will make every effort to nominate people for every possible vacancy,” Sugameli said. “I don’t expect every single vacancy to be filled, but I certainly think there are good, objective reasons why the pending nominees — and some new ones l— should be confirmed. There’s plenty of time to do and plenty of reason to do it.”

Judge Restrepo Confirmed After 14 Months (Politics PA, 01/12/16)
“Justice delayed from lack of judges is justice denied,” said Glenn Sugameli, founder of the Judging the Environment judicial nominations project, with the number of vacancies up by more than 50% over the last year. “There is no justification for the extreme delay of today’s Senate vote on Judge Restrepo’s over-one-year-old nomination to fill a U.S. Courts-declared judicial emergency vacancy,” Sugameli said.

Letter to the editor – Glenn Sugameli (Greene County News [IA], 01/07/16)
"Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa)’s Opinion Column: Review of 2015 — Senate goes to work (Dec. 31) cites the fact that lawmakers “considered nominations” to support his claim that the “Senate succeeded in breathing life back into the world’s greatest deliberative body.” In his role as Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, however, Sen. Grassley must know that the Senate spectacularly failed its advise and consent constitutional duty to not only “consider nominations,” but to vote on them. In 2015, the Senate only voted on 11 federal judges, all of whom were confirmed (the fewest since 1960). Vacancies have increased more than 50 percent in one year while those the U.S. Courts declared to be judicial emergencies soared from 12 to 32."

Restrepo Vote Set, District Nominees May Face Long Road (Legal Intelligencer, 12/10/15)
"As for the four district court nominees, Glenn Sugameli, a Washington, D.C., attorney tracking judicial vacancies, said there is no legitimate reason for their confirmations to be delayed, but like others, noted that it continues to happen. Sugameli pointed to Travis Randall McDonough, chief of staff to the mayor of Chattanooga, Tennessee, who was confirmed by vote in the Senate for a seat on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee on Dec. 7. McDonough had been stuck in the confirmation process for almost as long as Restrepo. But the need to fill judicial seats is an urgent priority, and Republicans have said as much, according to Sugameli. "Any delays will expose Republican senators as being impotent or dishonest," Sugameli said."

Will Restrepo Be Confirmed to Appeals Court? Toomey Urges Vote (Gavel Grab [Justice at Stake blog], 12/08/15)
Glenn Sugameli, a Washington lawyer and environmental activist who tracks judicial nominations, was critical of Republicans for not moving the nomination sooner, according to Philly.com. It has been “inexcusably delayed,” he said. “Securing a vote this year is vital but it is far too late to vote ‘without delay,’” he said, alluding to a Toomey statement urging a confirmation vote “without delay.”

Backlog in Cases Noted as Judicial Nominee Awaits Senate Action (Gavel Grab [Justice at Stake blog], 12/04/15)
"The newspaper quotes Glenn Sugameli of Judging the Environment as saying judicial emergencies declared by the U.S. courts have “skyrocketed this year from 12 to 30 because of unjustifiable delays by Sen. Rubio and other home-state Republican senators.”"

Rubio faces criticism over holding up South Florida judicial nominee (Tampa Bay Times [FL], 12/03/15)
“U.S. Courts declared judicial emergency vacancies skyrocketed this year from 12 to 30 because of unjustifiable delays by Sen. Rubio and other home-state Republican senators,” said Glenn Sugameli of Judging the Environment.

Marco Rubio, Do Your Job! (South Florida Lawyers, 11/17/15)
"It's "just not fun" that Rubio continues to refuse to turn in the blue slip necessary to get a vote on Mary Barzee Flores' nomination to fill an "emergency seat" on the SD FL. Here is Senator Leahy yesterday on the failure to get qualified judicial nominees on the federal bench: [EXCERPT] Enough already! In fact, Senator Reid today actually addressed the specific issue of Rubio's mistreatment of Mary's nomination: [EXCERPT] Enough already (already)! ... Labels: Glenn Sugameli"

Judge Ungaro published in U.M. Law Review (South Carolina Appellate Law, 10/22/15)
David Markus: The intro from, Hon. Ursula Ungaro, Foreword: The Evolution of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals: A New Era of Diversity on the Bench, 69 U. Miami L. Rev. 929 (2015): ... HT Glenn Sugameli

CQ follows the money on Tom Cotton's blockade of federal judges (Arkansas Times, 07/21/15)
Max Brantley: "Todd Ruger of CQ Roll Call follows up on Sen. Tom Cotton's solo blockade of five nominees to vacant seats on the federal court of claims — an obscure court that is nonetheless very important to business for deciding federal contract disputes and tax claims. Ruger notes that Cotton's action dovetails with interests of a former conservative law firm for which he worked and which contributed to his political campaigns.... Cotton suggests a judge has told him the current court can handle cases. That person has not been identified, while numerous judges and bar officials have spoken of the need for filling the vacancies. Based on research by Glenn Sugameli of Judging the Environment, a court monitoring project, an educated guess on Cotton's source would be Victor Wolski, Cotton's former colleague. He forthrightly said every job he ever took prior to his confirmation was ideologically orientated to further limited government, individual liberty and property rights. A Cotton clone, in other words. None of Cotton's concerns were raised in four previous Senate votes by the Judiciary Committee to confirm the nominees."

Judiciary Committee Approves Restrepo For Senate Vote (Legal Intelligencer, 07/14/15)
"Glenn Sugameli, who tracks judicial vacancies for the Defenders of Wildlife in Washington, D.C., maintains that Senate Republicans have made a practice of delaying the confirmation of candidates nominated by Obama. Sugameli said the risk for further delay now comes from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, who controls when the vote will be held. However, he noted that Toomey can push McConnell for prompt scheduling. "McConnell listens to his members," Sugameli said, adding the question is whether Toomey is willing to go to McConnell. Toomey's spokeswoman, E.R. Anderson, said the senator has already approached McConnell. "Sen. Toomey supports the nomination of Judge Restrepo for the Third Circuit," Anderson said in an email to The Legal. "As part of his efforts on this issue, the senator has spoken directly with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to emphasize the importance of getting Judge Restrepo confirmed." Don Stewart, a spokesman for McConnell, said that while a date for the vote has not yet been scheduled, "Sen. Toomey has been calling us, so it's on the leader's radar." Although further delay is possible, Sugameli said at this stage in Restrepo's confirmation process, "all indications are that he'll be confirmed unanimously, based on every nominee that has been considered.""

Senate Judiciary Committee Delays Restrepo's Confirmation Vote (Legal Intelligencer, 06/26/15)
Glenn Sugameli, who tracks judicial vacancies for the Defenders of Wildlife in Washington, D.C., said earlier this week that Senate Republicans have made a practice of delaying the confirmation of candidates nominated by Obama, and added that in order to avoid a delay, Toomey has to push Grassley for Restrepo's vote to go on as scheduled. "It'll be a test of whether he really supports the nominee as strongly as he says he does," Sugameli said. Several groups have called for swift action throughout Restrepo's confirmation, including the Pittsburgh City Council, the Hispanic Bar Association, and several editorial boards, according to Sugameli. "If he doesn't ask for the vote to be held when it is scheduled then he will be responsible for a delay," Sugameli said. "If he wants to say, 'I'm not responsible for further delays' then he needs to ask the Senate Republicans to not delay the vote in committee."

[Updated] Committee Vote Set for Restrepo, but Delay Seems Likely (Legal Intelligencer, 06/24/15)
Glenn Sugameli, who tracks judicial vacancies for the Defenders of Wildlife in Washington, D.C., said Senate Republicans have made a practice of delaying the confirmation of candidates nominated by Obama, and added that in order to avoid a delay, Toomey has to push Grassley for Restrepo's vote to go on as scheduled. "It'll be a test of whether he really supports the nominee as strongly as he says he does," Sugameli said. Several groups have called for swift action throughout Restrepo's confirmation, including the Pittsburgh City Council, the Hispanic Bar Association, and several editorial boards, according to Sugameli. "If he doesn't ask for the vote to be held when it is scheduled then he will be responsible for a delay," Sugameli said. "If he wants to say, 'I'm not responsible for further delays' then he needs to ask the Senate Republicans to not delay the vote in committee."

Judicial Vacancies webpage (American Bar Association, 06/23/15)
Additional Resources: "Senators’ statements on judicial nominations and vacancies, this exhaustive data bank contains more than 3,500 entries that are sortable by nominee, issue, senator, and more, Glenn Sugameli, Judging the Environment"

3rd Circ. Nominee Edges Closer To Long Vacant Seat (Law360, 06/10/15)
"If and when Judge Restrepo is confirmed for the appeals court, the number of vacancies on the state’s federal district courts will rise from four to five, and some observers are worried about the speed with which those will be filled. Glenn Sugameli, founder of Judging the Environment and a senior attorney at Defenders of Wildlife, raised concerns about “sheer mindless obstruction” in the process. In an email to Law360 on Wednesday, he mentioned that although Toomey said he hoped the Senate would be able to vote on Restrepo's confirmation this year, there will only be more delay if he is unwilling or unable to secure prompt votes."

No more showdowns over Obama's judicial nominations? (Examiner, 06/09/15)
"While the fight may be dying down, there was still some worry on the left about McConnell's comments. Defenders of Wildlife senior attorney Glenn Sugameli highlighted the comments in his blog Judging the Environment,"

McConnell backs away from judicial shutdown talk (The Hill, 06/06/15)
But Glenn Sugameli, the founder of Defenders of Wildlife[‘s Judging the Environment program], which tracks judicial nominees, raised doubts that McConnell will completely freeze circuit-court nominees. “This is an unfortunate statement from Sen. McConnell. It suggests an unprecedented and totally unjustifiable effort to slow down vacancies but it cannot mean what some people are saying it means in headlines and sometimes in stories, which is a total shutdown,” he said. Sugameli noted that several Republican senators are working with the administration to fill appellate-court vacancies affecting their states. Alabama Sens. Richard Shelby (R) and Jeff Sessions (R) are talking with the White House about putting together a slate of nominees, including one on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals left by Judge Joel Dubina, who took senior status in October of 2013. Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson (R) told the Juneau County Star Times that he is working with Obama to fill vacant court slots, including one on the 7thCircuit Court of Appeals. Indiana Sen. Dan Coats (R) has called for the establishment of an Indiana Federal Nominating Commission to help fill several judicial vacancies, including one on the 7th Circuit, which has two open slots. “There are senators from Alabama, from Indiana, from Wisconsin, from Texas, all of whom have court of appeals vacancies that they all say they are working to fill with Obama nominees,” said Sugameli. He said if McConnell really intends to block votes on circuit-court nominees for the rest of the Congress, “then he’s just cut the legs out from all those senators.”

Vilardo’s nomination headed to full Senate (Daily Record [NY], 06/04/15)
“After an unjustifiable delay, the Senate Judiciary Committee finally voice voted judicial nominees,” said Glenn Sugameli, founder of Judging the Environment, who has been researching judicial nominations since 2001. “Only Floor votes can help with the continuing lack of judges that means justice delayed is justice denied for people and businesses that need courts to resolve disputes.”

Restrepo To Have 3rd Circ. Nomination Hearing Next Week (Law360, 06/04/15)
If and when Judge Restrepo is confirmed for the appeals court, the number of vacancies on the state’s federal district courts will rise from four to five, and observers are also worried about the speed with which those will be filled. Glenn Sugameli, founder of Judging the Environment and a senior attorney at Defenders of Wildlife, raised concerns about “sheer mindless obstruction” in the process.

Facebook comments calling judges "dumbasses" cost JNC appointment (Southern District of Florida Blog, 05/28/15)
Whoops. The Tampa Tribune has the story about "Republican kingmaker Sam Rashid":... "Though he later edited the statement - replacing the word with “dumb mothers” - the posting cost Rashid a U.S. senatorial appointment to the Florida Federal Judicial Nominating Commission. The commission nominates candidates for federal judgeships," HT Glenn Sugameli

Senator Signs Off on Nominee for U.S. Appeals Court (Gavel Grab [Justice at Stake blog], 05/15/15)
The nomination of Judge Restrepo “is just the top of the iceberg,” said Glenn Sugameli, who monitors judicial appointments for Judging the Environment, a Defenders of Wildlife project. “There are other inexcusably delayed vacancies,” he said. “It’s pretty clear there is massive slow-walking going on and it’s hurting people” in districts where backlogs of cases are accumulating and judges cannot keep pace.

Political Maneuvers Holding Up Nominee for Third Circuit (Legal Intelligencer, 05/06/15)
"Judge Luis Felipe Restrepo, who took the bench in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania two years ago after a relatively quick confirmation process, is facing what is shaping up to be a drawn-out march to the Third Circuit ... When he was nominated last November, Glenn Sugameli, who tracks judicial vacancies for the Defenders of Wildlife in Washington, D.C., said that his confirmation process will be a "classic litmus test" for the tenor of the new Republican-led Senate since Restrepo was a consensus nominee who had just been through the vetting process for the district court. This week, Sugameli called the state of Restrepo's nomination "mind-boggling." "This does not make sense politically. This does not make sense legally. This does not make sense rationally," he said."

Senate must act on judicial vacancies (Herald News [Passaic County, NJ] , 05/03/15)
"Regarding "Lynch confirmed" (Editorials, April 27) and "Vote on AG not required" (Your Views, April 25): Readers should consider even longer and continuing delays in the U.S. Senate regarding action on nominees. Two district court judges were first nominated Sept. 18, nearly two months before Loretta Lynch, with strong support from their Texas and Utah Republican senators. ... U.S. District Judge Felipe Restrepo was nominated Nov. 12 on the bipartisan recommendation of his Pennsylvania senators. New Jersey’s senators need to press to move Restrepo and to fill four District of New Jersey vacancies, two of which have pending nominees. Empty judgeships mean justice delayed is justice denied for people and businesses." Glenn Sugameli, Letter to the Editor

Finally a committee hearing for Restrepo nomination? (CA3blog, 04/30/15)
"The Senate Judiciary Committee has announced a nominations hearing for Wednesday, May 6. The committee has not yet announced which judicial nominees will be heard; I’m told by Glenn Sugameli of the Judging the Environment project that that announcement is expected sometime Friday. Sugameli told me he encourages those concerned to contact Senators Pat Toomey and Bob Casey to see if they have asked Chairman Grassley to include CA3 nominee L. Felipe Restrepo in the May 6 hearing."

Judge Al Bennett (Brains and Eggs blog, 04/15/15)
"Of the Lone Star state’s 11 federal judicial vacancies, nine are in district courts and two on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which reviews cases from Texas. That is one-fifth of 55 total current vacancies nationwide, according to Glenn Sugameli, who tracks judicial appointments for Judging the Environment, a Defenders of Wildlife project. Meanwhile, the nation faces a record backlog of more than 330,000 civil cases."

Senate Unanimously Confirms Federal Judge for Texas (Gavel Grab [Justice at Stake blog], 04/14/15)
"The article said there are 55 judicial vacancies nationwide, according to Glenn Sugameli, who monitors judicial appointments for Judging the Environment, a Defenders of Wildlife project."

Texas judge gets past U.S. Senate logjam (Houston Chronicle, 04/13/15)
"Of the Lone Star state’s 11 federal judicial vacancies, nine are in district courts and two on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which reviews cases from Texas. That is one-fifth of 55 total current vacancies nationwide, according to Glenn Sugameli, who tracks judicial appointments for Judging the Environment, a Defenders of Wildlife project. Meanwhile, the nation faces a record backlog of more than 330,000 civil cases. Those pressing to speed the confirmation of federal judges represent an array of judicial, corporate, and special interest groups, including the Texas General Counsel Coalition."

Texas faces crisis of judicial vacancies (El Paso Times [TX], 04/06/15)
Glenn Sugameli, Letter to the Editor: "Texas' senators must act now to help fill a West Texas federal court seat, as convincingly detailed in your editorial, "Move quickly to fill federal judge vacancy," and story, "Federal judges in West Texas want Pecos vacancy to be filled quickly." The Pecos vacancy is the tip of the iceberg; Texas is ground zero for the federal judicial vacancy crisis.... The U.S. courts have testified that Congress needs to create new judgeships. These include nine in Texas. Four new Western District of Texas judgeships are among those "sorely needed" in "districts struggling with extraordinarily high and sustained workloads." A belated April 13 Senate floor vote is set for only one of three re-nominees selected by Texas senators. All three were nominated on Sept. 18, 2014, and approved on Feb. 26 voice votes in the Judiciary Committee, which includes both Texas senators. Sens. Cornyn and Cruz are inexcusably guaranteeing lengthy vacancies by allowing floor vote delays, not recommending nominees for lengthy vacancies, and not even beginning the long process to fill the Pecos and other seats. Justice delayed continues to be justice denied for people and businesses in Texas, as overwhelming caseloads postpone decisions."

More judgeships in the SDFLA? (Southern District of Florida Blog, 03/17/15)
“The U.S. Courts Judicial Conference is recommending 3 more judgeship in our District. From the press release: … H/T Glenn Sugameli”

Are Judges on the Horizon for Pennsylvania's Federal Bench? (Legal Intelligencer, 03/03/15)
""Texas and Pennsylvania are pretty unique at this point," said Glenn Sugameli, who tracks judicial vacancies for the Defenders of Wildlife in Washington, D.C., referring to the number of old vacancies with no officially named nominees, as is the case in the Western District. When U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, took over as chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee at the start of this year, he indicated that he planned to maintain the same pace for moving consensus judicial nominees along to the full Senate for confirmation. U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont, who had been chair of the committee before Grassley, had held hearings for nominees roughly every two weeks. "That's not true already," Sugameli said of Grassley's intent for keeping up with moving nominees along. So far this year the committee has held one hearing for judicial nominees. Restrepo is not a controversial nominee, Sugameli said. He had the support of both Casey and Toomey when he was nominated to the district court in late 2012, he was confirmed by a voice vote in the Senate, and both home-state senators have, again, given him their support for his nomination to the Third Circuit."

Obama nominates Buffalo attorney to federal court (Daily Record [NY], 02/05/15)
"“Grassley himself has set forth what should be the test and expectation for action on these and other judicial nominations,” said Glenn Sugameli, founder and senior attorney at Judging the Environment, who has been researching judicial nominations since 2001. “He said two things on that: One of his priorities would be judicial nominations and the public shouldn’t expect a discernable difference in how he runs the committee.” Sugameli said under the leadership of Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., the committee conducted hearings on judicial nominations almost every two weeks and that would be the expectation under Grassley. He said there are 11 nominees ahead of Vilardo and another judicial nomination the president announced Wednesday. Four have had hearings. Sugameli expects the Vilardo hearing to be scheduled for the spring.... Sugameli expects additional judicial nominations [could] be announced [as early as] next week"

Texas candidates for federal bench caught up in partisan gamesmanship: Federal picks have been caught up in D.C. politics (San Antonio Express-News [TX] , 01/25/15)
Kevin Diaz: “There’s a severe problem in Texas,” said Glenn Sugameli, a senior attorney in the Defenders of Wildlife’s Judging the Environment project. “For years, Texas has been unique in having the highest number of vacancies across the country.”

After 6-year wait, federal bench in S.A. is filled (San Antonio Express-News [TX] , 12/17/14)
“Finally confirming three judges to fill judicial emergency vacancies in Texas is a tip of the iceberg (and) first step toward easing the uniquely severe and prolonged federal judicial vacancy crisis in Texas,” said Glenn Sugameli, founder of Judging the Environment and senior attorney for Defenders of Wildlife. “For people and businesses in Texas, justice delayed continues to be justice denied.”

Senate confirms three Texas judicial nominees (Herald Democrat [TX], 12/16/14)
“Confirming the three judges to fill judicial emergency vacancies in Texas is a tip of the iceberg,” said Glenn Sugameli, a senior attorney with Defenders of Wildlife, who has been tracking judicial nominations for more than a decade. Sugameli said that there has been an outcry from Texas federal judges, the U.S Courts, the American Bar Association and others stressing the need to nominate and confirm judges to reduce severe Texas judicial backlogs, caseloads, and a “vacancy crisis.”

Senate committee approves Texas judicial nominees (Dallas Morning News, 11/20/14)
Glenn Sugameli, an attorney for Defenders of Wildlife who also tracks judicial nominations, called Cornyn’s push for the nominees’ confirmations “encouraging.” “I’m certainly optimistic the nominees can and shoud be approved” by year’s end,” Sugameli said.

New Eastern District Judge Nominated to Third Circuit (Legal Intelligencer, 11/14/14)
Restrepo's confirmation will be a "classic litmus test" for the tenor of the new Senate, said Glenn Sugameli, who tracks judicial vacancies for the Defenders of Wildlife in Washington, D.C.... Given that approval from the home-state senators and the broad support Restrepo had for his confirmation to the district court, "It would be a real condemnation of the new Senate" if he doesn't move through the confirmation process smoothly, Sugameli said.... If the incoming Republican leadership holds to its recent statements about how it will conduct the next session, there's no reason that Restrepo shouldn't have a hearing when they come back at the beginning of the year, Sugameli said.... Sugameli called Restrepo a "no-brainer" for confirmation to the Third Circuit, saying, "I do not understand how there could be any reason to delay or block" him.

Lame duck Senate moving on Georgia judges (Atlanta Journal Constitution, 11/12/14)
Daniel Malloy: Glenn Sugameli, who closely tracks judicial nominations for the environmental group Defenders of Wildlife, said the need for Reid to file cloture motions on the Georgia judges is “absurd.” He called the actions “knee-jerk obstruction for obstruction’s sake, when it hurts the people and businesses who need federal courts to decide cases, rather than (President Barack) Obama or Democratic senators.”

Halbig Review Won't End Debate Over What Obamacare Law Means (Forbes, 09/04/14)
Daniel Fisher, senior editor: "Glenn Sugameli of Judging the Environment informs me that while en banc rehearings typically only involve active judges, the rules also allow senior judges who were on the original panel to rehear the case. That changes the potential Republican/Democrat split to 5-8, but it would still be a majority of Democrat-appointed judges. ... Sugameli also notes that Obama only appointed three judges after Reid changed the filibuster rules.)"

District Court facing another vacancy (Daily Record [NY], 07/30/14)
Denise M. Champagne: "Glenn Sugameli, founder and senior attorney of Judging the Environment, who has been tracking the federal judiciary for more than a decade, said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has been concentrating on trying to reduce the vacancy crisis and force votes on judges."

Cloture filed on Julie Carnes and Robin Rosenberg (UPDATED) (Southern District of Florida Blog, 07/17/14)
David Markus: "Last night Senator Reid filed cloture on Carnes (candidate for the 11th) and Rosenberg (candidate for the SDFLA). Glenn Sugameli tells me that this means a final vote on these two judges is likely to occur early next week. ... UPDATE -- The full Senate vote for Carnes will be Monday and then the District Judges on Tuesday."

Krause Sails to Seat on the Third Circuit (Legal Intelligencer, 07/07/14)
“This is obviously a good sign in terms of this nomination,” said Glenn Sugameli, founder of Judging the Environment, who tracks judicial vacancies. He noted that there is still an empty seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Republicans hold over vote for Judges Bloom & Gayles (Southern District of Florida Blog, 05/01/14)
David Markus: Ho hum... more of the same... and for no reason. Just because ... People for the American Way aren't happy with Sen. Rubio on this. I wish voters knew more about this wasteful and silly process. Good luck to Judges Bloom and Gayles next week! HT: Glenn Sugameli"

NOMINATIONS: Senate confirms 9th Circuit appeals judge (Environment & Energy (E & E) Daily, 04/01/14)
Jeremy P. Jacobs: "Glenn Sugameli of the Defenders of Wildlife noted that the 9th Circuit's vacancies are among the 34 judicial emergencies declared by the federal Judicial Conference. "Justice delayed is justice denied, as 9th Circuit and other federal judicial vacancies postpone needed court resolutions of important issues," Sugameli said. "Unfortunately, Senate GOP leaders continue unjustifiable delays of floor votes on dozens of pending judicial nominees, including those who were unopposed in committee and are strongly supported by their home-state Republican senators.""

Sen. Rubio issues blue slip for Judge Gayles (Southern District of Florida Blog, 03/25/14)
David Markus: "Via the Huffington Post (ht Glenn Sugameli):"

Arkansas judicial nomination creeps to completion over Republican obstructionism (Arkansas Times, 03/05/14)
Max Brantley: "The nomination had been pending for months, delayed by a general Republican roadblock to judicial confirmation. The cloture vote to end obstruction of a confirmation vote for Brooks passed 59-41. His confirmation vote followed without a dissenting vote, 100-0. Earlier, Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy blasted the Republican obstruction again. It was clearly illustrated first by a 98-0 vote to confirm a Puerto Rican judge after 41 Republican senators voted to continue a filibuster on the nomination. Before a recent Democratic-backed rule change, those 41 votes would have been enough to block the confirmation vote, notes Glenn Sugameli, who follows the judicial process for Judging the Environment and sends me information along the way."

Two Federal Judges Confirmed in NorCal (Courthouse News Service, 02/26/14)
Environmental lawyer Glenn Sugameli pointed out, however, that "32 of these vacancies without nominees are in states with one or two Republican senators whose 'blue slips' are required for a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing under Chairman Patrick Leahy's policy." "Senators' incredibly slow judicial-nominating commissions have still not submitted any potential nominees to the White House for nine Pennsylvania vacancies, nine Texas vacancies and three Kentucky vacancies," added Sugameli, who heads a judicial nominations project called the Judging the Environment.

Filling the District of Arizona Vacancies (Arizona Law Review, 02/24/14)
Carl Tobias: "I wish to thank Peggy Sanner and Glenn Sugameli for valuable suggestions"

Pryor's reward for helping Republicans: obstructionism (Arkansas Times, 02/12/14)
Max Brantley: "U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor was one of a handful of Democrats who declined to support the so-called nuclear option, a rule change to eliminate the filibuster of judicial nominees. The thanks he got today? A Republican refused to grant him unanimous consent to win approval of the nominations of two non-controvesial judicial appointees — Judge Jay Moody of Little Rock and Timothy Brooks of Fayetteville. Glenn Sugameli, who heads the Judging the Environment judicial nominations project, sent me the exchange from the Senate floor. ...Why is Grassley punishing Arkansas, whose senators didn't support the rule change (he noted Pryor's vote) and whose senators, Democrat and Republican, support the nominees? ... Grassley is, of course, also a hypocrite. Sugameli notes that Grassley supported a nuclear option in 2005 when the shoe was on the other foot."

Reid calls for cloture vote on Jay Moody judicial nomination (Arkansas Times, 02/12/14)
"UPDATE on the Republican obstruction of judicial nominations, particularly as it relates to the nomination of Circuit Judge Jay Moody to a seat on the federal eastern district court bench in Little Rock. Thanks again to Glenn Sugameli and Carl Tobias for the heads-up:"

WATCH: Craven Politican Throws Public Servant Under Bus For Personal Ambition! (South Florida Lawyers, 01/31/14)
"It's really a shame to see someone's reputation get tanked just to curry support from a desired constituency in order to seek higher office. (h/t Glenn Sugameli [LINK TO JUDGING THE ENVIRONMENT webpage on Sen. Rubio & Judge William Thomas)] BTW, on the "merits," this is what judges do -- it's shameful, really"

Obama's Federal Court Picks Clear Senate Hurdle (Recorder, 01/16/14)
Glenn Sugameli, an attorney who tracks judicial nominations for Defenders of Wildlife, said that under the old rules, nominees unanimously approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee would typically receive votes on the floor before the next Senate recess, which in this case occurs next week, or on the first day of resumption of business. He said it will be interesting to see if nominees who have now received unanimous committee votes will face delay tactics such as requests for the full two hours of debate on the Senate floor. Sugameli said he thought it was a good sign for Owens that only Grassley criticized his nomination, while other committee members such as Mike Lee of Utah held their tongues. "He's certainly not shy about speaking his mind, and he's from a neighboring state," Sugameli said. "Sometimes silence speaks volumes."

Arkansas judicial nominations on Senate Committee agenda Thursday (Arkansas Times, 01/07/14)
Max Brantley: "That batch of federal judicial nominations resubmitted yesterday by President Obama are on the Senate Judiciary Committee agenda Thursday morning. They include Judge Jay Moody of Little Rock and Timothy Brooks of Fayetteville. Neither is considered controversial but Republican obstructionism has slowed all judicial nominations, controversial and otherwise. Thanks to Glenn Sugameli, who heads the Judging the Environment judicial nominations project, for the headsup."

Confirmation for N.Y.'s Elizabth A. Wolford is historic for multiple reasons (Daily Record [NY], 12/13/13)
"Glenn Sugameli, senior attorney and co-founder of Judging the Environment, said the number of “no” votes on both cloture and the merits of Wolford’s nomination were amazing, considering how strongly her nomination had been supported. He has headed his organization’s judicial nominations project since 2001. “It’s an indication of how obstructionist most of the Republicans are being in that this is the sort of nomination that normally would have been confirmed by voice vote, as it was in committee,” Sugameli said. “There was no opposition on the merits and it would have been confirmed awhile back. There’s a lot of obstruction still going on,” he added, pointing to the final delay Thursday morning. He said Republicans are complaining that Democrats are wasting time, yet they used up their post-cloture time talking about things that have nothing to do with the nominee being considered. Sugameli said Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, was wrong earlier this week when he said none of the pending nominees were judicial emergencies. The vacancy Wolford will fill was considered a judicial emergency based on caseloads. “It’s an emergency seat that should have been filled a long time ago,” Sugameli said. “It is a very bizarre situation where they’re really punishing the people and the businesses in the areas that don’t have enough judges. This doesn’t hurt the Democrats. “McConnell showed disinterest in the truth and finding out what the facts are. His statement was truly amazing for the amount of deception and outright lies.”"

Senate Democrats played more fairly [Judging the Environment Letter to the editor] (Richmond Times-Dispatch [VA], 12/05/13)
Glenn Sugameli: "In April 2009, my Correspondent-of-the-Day letter explained: “The fact that the Constitution does not require filibusters does not mean they are forbidden.” Your recent editorial “Dambusters” agrees: “The Constitution does not mention filibusters. It neither authorizes nor bans them.” Unfortunately, the editorial mistakenly equates the transposed Senate Republican and Democratic positions on filibuster rules. Many Republican senators filibustered President Obama’s judicial nominations despite insisting it was unconstitutional to filibuster President George W. Bush’s nominees. In contrast, Senate Democrats did not execute unexplained flips on the Constitution. Instead, their policy change reflected unprecedented Republican decisions to filibuster any possible nominees for three Washington, D.C., Circuit Court vacancies after the Senate confirmed Bush judges to all three seats."

A 'nuclear option' was needed to overcome GOP obstructionists [Letter] (Los Angeles Times, 12/05/13)
By Glenn Sugameli

11th Circuit Judge Dubina has taken senior status (Southern District of Florida Blog, 11/07/13)
David Markus: "It became official on his birthday October 26. (h/t Glenn Sugameli)."

It’s time for nuclear option in Senate to confirm nominees (Examiner, 11/03/13)
Robert Bowen, Economic Policy Examiner: ""While regular judges are split 4 to 4, Republican appointees make up 5 out of 6 senior judges, who also participate in three judge panels that decide nearly all cases,” Glenn Sugameli, Founder of Judging the Environment said. "Of President George W. Bush’s six nominees to the D.C. Circuit, four were confirmed (67%). Of President Obama’s five nominees to the D.C. Circuit, so far, only one has been confirmed (20%)," he added."

Owens Cruises Through Senate Judiciary Hearing (Recorder, 10/30/13)
Scott Graham: "Neither Crapo nor Risch submitted testimony for Wednesday's hearing, which Glenn Sugameli, an attorney who tracks judicial nominations for Defenders of Wildlife, took as a promising sign for Owens. University of Richmond law professor Carl Tobias agreed."

Justice Watch: Legal Community Puts Pressure On Rubio To Stop Blocking Judge (Daily Business Review [FL], 09/27/13)
John Pacenti: "Glenn Sugameli, a senior attorney with Defenders of Wildlife in Washington, closely follows Republican stalling on Obama's judicial nominees. He said Rubio's opposition to Thomas is puzzling since he voted this month to unanimously approve the nomination of Todd Hughes as the first openly gay appeals judge. "Now that prosecutors in both of the cases Sen. Rubio cited have dispelled concerns, it is time for the senator to meet with Judge Thomas again and allow a hearing where the nominee can explain and answer questions," he said. Sugameli said there is a racial and gender pattern to the nominees targeted by Republicans. "If you look at who Republican senators have blocked, it has been overwhelmingly minorities and women," he said."

Will Thomas update (Southern District of Florida Blog, 09/24/13)
David Markus: "Sen. Rubio is under more fire for his recent decision to block Judge Thomas. The NY Times is covering the story, and Fred Grimm has this excellent editorial in the Herald. Here's the conclusion, which rebuts Rubio's argument about the sentence in the leaving the scene of the accident case ... if you want to read any of the letters referenced in the Grimm article, you can access them at Glenn Sugameli's website." [Link to JudgingtheEnvironment.org]

NC's Eastern District judicial vacancy is longest in the nation (News & Observer [NC], 09/20/13)
Anne Blythe: "Glenn Sugameli, founder of Judging the Environment, an organization that tracks federal vacancies and the impact they can have on civil court calendars and environmental lawsuits, said he has been baffled by the stall in North Carolina’s Eastern District. ... “To believe you would block someone in a district that’s had a vacancy for that long, that’s pretty shocking, amazing and appalling,” Sugameli said Friday. “It’s a festering boil. It’s an open embarrassment for Sen. Burr – or it should be.” Sugameli said what complicates the continued vacancy is the silence from Burr as to why he has not submitted his blue slip. “At this point, I think there’s an obligation for the senator to explain,” Sugameli said. “Once you know what the problem is you can start to address it. When all you have is total silence, that makes it more difficult.”"

COURTS: EPA air cases on deck as Obama appointee joins D.C. Circuit bench  (Greenwire, 09/06/13)
Srinivasan is "clearly very bright, extremely qualified and he has a mass of experience," said Glenn Sugameli, who tracks the D.C. Circuit for Defenders of Wildlife. "And he's relatively young. He is in a position where he could have a big influence on the court." Standing is a "very broad, sweeping issue," Sugameli said. "It tends to be more of a potential constitutional barrier to Congress' clear intent to give citizens the right to enforce environmental statutes. ... So those cases can be critical."

D.C. Circuit -- at heart of nomination battle -- has handed major victories to EPA  (Greenwire, 08/26/13)
Glenn Sugameli, who tracks the D.C. Circuit for Defenders of Wildlife, said EPA should do well at the D.C. Circuit because of the Supreme Court's ruling in 1984's Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council. The ruling said that as long as EPA interpreted the law reasonably in crafting regulations, courts should defer to the agency. But opinions like Kavanaugh's in the CSAPR case, Sugameli said, can have an outsized impact. "The major issue is, even if you have a series of pretty good or decent opinions, one really bad opinion can be so bad on the facts or so bad on the law that you're inviting a series of challenges," Sugameli said. Environmentalists argue that Obama must fill the vacancies on the circuit so rulings like the CSAPR decision are reviewed by the circuit en banc, meaning before all of the circuit's judges. After a decision, the losing party may petition for an en banc review. It takes the votes of a majority of active judges on the circuit to grant such a request. Sugameli and other environmentalists contend that if the court had been more balanced at the time, the CSAPR decision would have earned en banc review because of Rogers' forceful dissent. "You don't have enough judges to have the mass that's required to rein in very extreme opinions," Sugameli said.

Spat between California and Idaho politicians could endanger 9th Circuit nominee: Senators from the two states call dibs on Stephen Trott's former circuit seat (Daily Journal [CA] , 08/05/13)
John Roemer: "Glenn Sugameli, a veteran Washington, D.C. attorney who is an authority on judicial selections, said, "This dispute needs to be resolved, and quickly, for the good of our judicial system and for the litigants who come before the 9th Circuit. The idea that a seat changes states when a judge moves would be rejected by any senator from the original home state, and based on history, population or caseload the Trott seat should be based in California." He noted that Smith occupies Idaho's original seat, fulfilling a statute that guarantees every state at least one circuit judge."

Judicial happenings (Southern District of Florida Blog, 08/01/13)
Glenn Sugameli breaks the news again about federal judgeships: A) New future vacancy raises US total to 101 current and future vacancies B) Major bill to create 91 new federal judgeships, including many in FL How will this bill affect us: Permanent judgeships: • 3 additional district judgeships for the southern district of Florida; • 5 additional district judgeships for the middle district of Florida; • 1 additional district judgeship for the northern district of Florida; Temporary judgeships: • 1 additional district judgeship for the middle district of Florida; Permanent status to temporary judgeships: • 1 in the southern district of Florida;

GOP DC Circuit Strategy, Revisisted (A plain blog about politics, 07/26/13)
Jonathan Bernstein: Glenn Sugameli writes to me after I wrote this one, saying: "I watched Pillard’s hearing, and read all of the broad-ranging letters to the Senate on her nomination, and every article, opinion piece, blog post, and Senator Statement on her nomination, and as a result I agree with much of your post , but strongly disagree with this portion: “with lots of hot-button issues in her writings for them to attack. …. Pillard, however, will have serious opposition, and it's probably more likely than not that she'll be killed by filibuster.” At her hearing, only three Judiciary Committee Republicans (Grassley, Lee and Cruz) really grilled Pillard (and ignored how their misconceptions and distortions that were dispelled by her testimony and prior writings). Sen. Flake asked good questions and seemed pretty satisfied with her answers. I strongly conclude that there NOT are “lots of hot-button issues in her writings for them to attack.” [...] As for a filibuster, Sen. Murkowski [R-AK] always opposes them on judicial nominees, McCain, THE key player on filibusters has disavowed filibusters on the D.C. Circuit nominees and one cosponsor of Grassley’s bill (Collins) wrote an Op-Ed that she would not filibuster on that basis and another (Graham) said he is uncertain." He sends along too a link to his extremely thorough and helpful site [LINK].

COURTS: Republicans escalate opposition to D.C. Circuit nominee (Environment & Energy (E & E) Daily, 07/25/13)
Glenn Sugameli of Defenders of Wildlife said Republicans may stick to criticizing the nominations together because they have yet to dig up anything substantial about them as individuals. "The focus has tended to be on the group, and I think that is because they don't have anything believable against Millett and anything meaningful against Pillard," he said. But he predicted Republicans may back down as they take flak from editorial boards and others over their intransigence. Independent fact checkers have said Republicans' court packing claims are inaccurate and misleading. "As it becomes higher-profile," he said, "I don't see how they stick with this position."

COURTS: Judiciary panel to consider D.C. Circuit nominee (Environment & Energy (E & E) Daily, 07/08/13)
Discusses and links to letter, posted on Judging the Environment website, from seven former U.S. Solicitor Generals, supporting Patricia Millett D.C. Circuit nomination.

Compilation of Shelby County statements (Election Law Blog, 06/30/13)
Justin Levitt: "Glenn Sugameli, at Judging the Environment, has put together a thorough compilation of statements and reactions to Shelby County from officials and editorial boards. Researchers investigating the immediate media reaction to Shelby County will likely find this list of links quite helpful."

COURTS: Obama nominates 3 to D.C. Circuit  (Greenwire, 06/04/13)
"The Grassley bill is a joke," said Glenn Sugameli, who tracks judicial nominations for Defenders of Wildlife. "The D.C. Circuit has an exclusive or leading role in upholding or gutting a broad range of national environmental safeguards."

COURTS: Confirmation vote for D.C. Circuit nominee possible by tomorrow (Environment & Energy (E & E) Daily, 05/22/13)
"Timely and well-reasoned decisions on national environmental, health, safety, consumer, labor and other safeguards require filling all four vacancies on the 11-member D.C. Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals," said Glenn Sugameli of the Defenders of Wildlife.

Letter: Sen. Hatch's article on voting 'present' is disingenuous (Deseret News [UT] , 04/07/13)
Glenn Sugameli: "Sen. Orrin Hatch's "My View" is disingenuous ("Why I voted 'present' instead of 'no,' " March 26). He repeatedly insisted that President George W. Bush's judicial nominees receive "up-or-down vote[s], as the Constitution requires." His claim of consistency is belied by actions to deny President Barack Obama's judicial nominees such a vote. Sen. Hatch admits that because cloture to end a filibuster "requires a super majority of 60 …, 'present' and 'no' have the same procedural effect," but failing to vote also has the same effect. In 2012, his failure to vote was almost decisive, when a judge supported by Arizona Republican senators received the minimum 60 votes to end a filibuster. In 2011, his "present" supported an unprecedented attempt to filibuster a trial judge, while 11 principled Republicans voted for cloture and "no" on the merits. Sen. Hatch writes: "Three times, I have voted 'present' on a motion to end debate on a particularly controversial nominee. … I have not cast such a vote on a failed judicial nominee in more than a year." But his March 2013 "not voting" helped deny Caitlin Halligan an up-or-down vote, and his July 2012, "present" supported an unprecedented filibuster of a consensus judge who was confirmed unanimously in February 2013."

D.C. Circuit Nominee Blocked, Raising Fears Over Slow Rulings On EPA Rules  (Inside EPA, 03/06/13)
"Environmentalists say the concern is especially relevant given the court's role in reviewing many EPA rules and policies. A source with the advocacy project Judging the Environment points to the Aug. 21 decision from a three-judge panel vacating EPA's Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) interstate emissions trading program, arguing that additional judges on the court could have resulted in EPA and advocates winning en banc review where the full court would have reconsidered what the source says is the "flawed" 2-1 opinion. ... The source says more broadly that both the speed with which the court can make a decision as well as the quality of the decision are both negatively affected by the lack of judges on the bench. More judges, the source argues, mean more time to write careful opinions that can deal with all the issues involved in a way that all parties in the case can understand how the issues are resolved, helping district judges work through future cases as well. And in terms of timing, the source argues that less time in reviewing air rules that are ultimately upheld mean less delays in implementing rules, which leads to lives saved from the pollution reduced under the rule. The environmentalist notes that poor decisions from an overworked court can have broad impacts, and that a court at less than full strength is limited in reviewing cases en banc given that a majority is needed to agree to rehearing. "If they [mess] something up, it's national in scope," the source says."

COURTS: Liberals push Obama to restock powerful D.C. Circuit  (Greenwire, 02/06/13)
Jeremy P. Jacobs: "The D.C. Circuit is the second most important court for the environment in the country after the Supreme Court," said Glenn Sugameli, who tracks judicial nominations for Defenders of Wildlife. "For the vast majority of the cases, it has the final say for safeguards for air, water and other toxic threats. The court is at a point where it desperately needs new judges."

Judging the Environment (Legal Planet: The Environmental Law & Policy Blog, 01/29/13)
Jonathan Zasloff: "Covering the Senate Republicans’ continuing obstruction of judicial nominees is about as exciting as watching paint dry, but the good folks at Defenders of Wildlife, one of the nation’s most venerable environmental organizations, have decided to invest in doing it, with their vital blog, Judging The Environment. It’s run by staff attorney Glenn Sugameli. ... Judging the Environment is useful for another reason: it continually highlights how Senate Republicans are not just blocking “controversial” nominees, but uncontroversial ones — nominees that have the support of both home state Senators, even extremely and radically right-wing home state Senators. ... Usually, in the wake of a clear an convincing election victory, minority party Senators will defer at least a little to the will of the public — especially if the President nominates indisputably centrist judges. But the Senate GOP is not interested in such things. That’s why Judging the Environment is an important source going forward. Check it out."

U.S. appeals court nominee Robert E. Bacharach may have to be nominated again next year: Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn blames “inside politics” for possibility that Bacharach, who has strong bipartisan support, might not be confirmed this year (Oklahoman, 12/23/12)
Attorney Glenn Sugameli, who tracks the judicial process for the Washington-based Judging the Environment Project, said it was “insane” that a nominee like Bacharach, “who is absolutely unopposed,” can’t get a vote. “Is there any reason not to vote on him now?” Sugameli said. “There is no reason.”

Obama presented with opportunity to shape DC Circuit with new vacancy (SNL FERC Power Report, 12/12/12)
"I certainly think he can have an ability to moderate the court," Glenn Sugameli, senior attorney with Defenders of Wildlife and an expert on federal judicial selection, said Dec. 7. "He has the responsibility to put four judges in the court. That could obviously change the court and influence the court for some time to come. Sugameli said that with Democrats' gains in the Senate in the November elections, Obama will have an easier road ahead filling the court's empty seats. Failure to fill all the seats in the D.C. Circuit, asserted Sugameli, can have negative consequences. With fewer active judges, securing an en banc review by the D.C. Circuit - obtained through a majority of the active judges voting for it - is harder, he said. The vacancies could undermine attempts by the EPA to get an en banc review of the D.C. Circuit's decision to toss out the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule on the grounds that the EPA overreached in how it set limits on power plant emissions."

Letter to the editor: More skirmishes over 'confirmation wars' (Des Moines Register [IA], 12/09/12)
Glenn Sugameli, founder and director, Judging the Environment: Marc Elcock’s Iowa View “Obama Can Quell Confirmation Wars” (Dec. 4) attacks an imaginary version of “Grassley Has a Chance To Quell Confirmation Wars” (Nov. 27) that was written by professor Carl Tobias. Tobias accurately wrote that Senate Republicans have “automatically held over panel votes for seven days without convincing reasons for many nominees who were extremely capable and noncontroversial.” Elcock quotes the last four words out of context. He then misreads “many nominees” as if it was “all nominees” in order to contest a straw man claim that Tobias never made, “the assertion that Obama’s nominees were all noncontroversial.” Elcock ignores Tobias’ focus on pending judicial nominees. Will Sen. Chuck Grassley convince Senate Republicans to allow votes to confirm 17 judges? These include 14 whom Grassley and the Judiciary Committee approved on voice votes and 10 who would fill “judicial emergency” vacancies. Incredibly, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is ignoring pleas from Oklahoma, Maine, and Pennsylvania home-state Republican senators. As the Register’s Aug. 7 editorial described, unopposed 10th Circuit Court of Appeals nominee Robert Bacharach has “the strong support of both home-state senators, Republicans Tom Coburn and Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma.”

Letter to the editor: More skirmishes over 'confirmation wars' (Altoona Herald-Index [IA], 12/09/12)
From Glenn Sugameli, founder and director, Judging the Environment

McConnell blocking judicial nominations (Contra Costa Times [CA] , 12/08/12)
Letter to the Editor from Glenn Sugameli, Founder and director Judging the Environment

Judicial nominees still languish in Senate (Baltimore Sun, 12/07/12)
Glenn Sugameli Letter to the Editor: John Fritze's recent article on the appointment of U.S. Magistrate Paul W. Grimm to a U.S. District Court seat ("Senate confirms Towson resident Grimm for U.S. judgeship," Dec. 4) reported the key point: Senate gridlock delayed action even though Paul Grimm's February nomination was "uncontroversial — members of both parties supported him." Indeed, U.S. Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski urged swift action on other judicial nominees, 15 of whom were reported by voice vote from the Senate Judiciary Committee. Senate Republican leaders, however, are still blocking votes to confirm 17 judges. They have even ignored pleas for long-overdue votes by both home-state Republican senators from Oklahoma and both from Maine, as well as from Pennsylvania's Bob Casey, a Democrat, and Pat Toomey, a Republican. New Jersey GOP Gov. Chris Christie also strongly supports confirming Patty Shwartz, his state's nominee to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

Is Eastern District Nominee Troy Nunley Getting Closer To Senate Confirmation? (Eastern District Blog [CA], 12/06/12)
Reprints NLJ post quoting "Glenn Sugameli, who follows judicial nominations for Judging the Environment and Defenders of Wildlife"

Courts: Judge opens door for Obama by taking senior status (Environment & Energy (E & E) Daily, 11/30/12)
"Glenn Sugameli, a lawyer at Defenders of Wildlife who tracks judicial nominations, said the vacancy "demonstrates the urgency to bring the vital D.C. Circuit appeals court back to the 11-judge strength that it had when the Democratic Senate confirmed four of President George W. Bush's nominees to that court.""

Judge William Thomas officially nominated to District Court  (Southern District of Florida Blog, 11/14/12)
David Oscar Markus: This is great news and fast. Let's hope that this is how it's going to be in the President's second term. Here is President Obama's press release: ... HT: Glenn Sugameli

SUPREME COURT: Speculation starts on retirements, nominations in Obama's second term (Greenwire, 11/08/12)
"The Supreme Court is narrowly and deeply divided on constitutional and other challenges to basic environmental laws," said Glenn Sugameli, a lawyer at Defenders of Wildlife who tracks judicial nominations.

Why Courts Matter: What the 2012 Election Means for 2013 and Beyond (Center for American Progress, 11/08/12)
Caroline Fredrickson, President, American Constitution Society: “I want to commend Glenn [Sugameli, Judging the Environment]for everything you do which is so important. People need to understand that Glenn doesn’t just compile; Glenn actually makes sure these editorials happen. He writes Letters to the Editor to newspapers across the country. We saw the cumulative effect of that in terms of political impact. I’m sure my friends from Sen. Leahy’s office know this well; when I was chief of staff to Sen. Maria Cantwell, what your home-state paper says really counts, so the efforts to get Editorials, to get opinion pieces, to get Letters to the Editor is one of the major things that moves senators.”

Letter: Republicans block court nominees (Knoxville News Sentinel [TN], 10/04/12)
Glenn Sugameli: Your editorial, "Senate shouldn't tarry on TVA board nominees," urged action "during the lame-duck session." In 2010, Tennessee's U.S. senators finally overcame opposition to Jane Stranch's 6th Circuit Court of Appeals nomination. Now, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has blocked even unopposed trial court nominees. All 15 blockaded district court nominees had Judiciary Committee approval and support from their Republican and Democratic senators. Ten would fill judicial emergency vacancies declared by the courts. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D, Vt., stated: "Senate Republicans have not explained their unprecedented obstruction of President Obama's consensus nominees." In August, Sen. Patrick Toomey, R-Pa., insisted there was "no reason" not to confirm his state's nominees in September "by a voice vote. This could be done in a moment." Now, he is urging confirmations during the lame-duck session, when the Senate will decide if justice delayed will remain justice denied.

Geraci’s nomination blocked by Republican senator  (Daily Record [NY], 09/21/12)
"Glenn Sugameli, head of Judging the Environment’s judicial nominations project in Washington, D.C., said there is still a possibility the Senate could agree to confirm some or all of the nominees before it recesses until after Election Day, Nov. 6."

The Public Pulse, Sept. 20: Senate needs to approve judges (Omaha World-Herald [NE] , 09/20/12)
Glenn Sugameli: In his Sept. 17 Midlands Voices essay, “Constitution still relevant, unique,” Michael B. Godfrey explains how the U.S. Constitution created a functional national government, unlike the prior Articles of Confederation, which had “neither an executive nor a judicial branch.” Unfortunately, high numbers of judicial vacancies mean justice delayed is justice denied, as Carol Bloch and Jan Schneiderman discussed in an Aug. 30 Midlands Voices essay, “Judicial vacancies adversely affect Midlanders.” Before recessing, the U.S. Senate has a duty to provide 17 pending District (trial) Court nominees “the Advice and Consent of the Senate,” required by the Constitution’s Article II, Section 2. The Judiciary Committee approved all 17 with support from their Republican and Democratic home-state senators. Twelve would fill declared judicial emergency vacancies in U.S. courts. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, reportedly expects the District Court nominees to be approved this month. Sen. Patrick Toomey, R-Pa., held a press conference to insist there is no reason not to confirm two Pennsylvania federal District Court judges in September “by a voice vote. This could be done in a moment.” Since 2001, I have headed the Judging the Environment project on judicial nominations.

Court Vacancies Mire Appeals  (Congressional Quarterly, 09/17/12)
"The D.C. Circuit agreed to just one en banc review in each of its last two terms. “The vacancies really do have an impact,” says Glenn Sugameli, a staff attorney for Defenders of Wildlife, an environmental advocacy group in Washington."

Senate Confirms District Court Nominee, Showing Trial Judges Can Still Advance (Congressional Quarterly, 09/10/12)
“There’s no reason why they couldn’t confirm [all pending nominees] in an hour,” said Glenn Sugameli, a staff attorney with Defenders of Wildlife, an environmental advocacy organization. “You can do these all in voice vote.”

G. Sugameli: Even more bad news for 'breathers' (Sun Journal [ME] , 09/04/12)
Glenn Sugameli Letter to the Editor: Maine’s U.S. senators joined a filibuster that may undermine the Sun Journal’s conclusion in the aptly headlined editorial “Court ruling more bad news for breathers” (Aug. 26): that “The EPA can appeal the decision to the full District of Columbia Court of Appeals and it should do so as quickly as possible.” The editorial also noted “that two Bush-era appointees to the court voted to postpone the (Clean Air Act) regulations, while the Clinton appointee blasted the decision as an ‘absurdity’ unsupported by the factual record.” Three of the four George W. Bush judges the Senate confirmed to the D.C. Circuit continue on the court, including a member of the panel majority who filled the court’s 11th seat. Now, however, the court has three vacancies, so that five of the eight active judges would have to vote to review the 2-1 panel decision. Maine GOP Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins voted last December to filibuster President Barack Obama’s nomination of Caitlin Halligan to the D.C. Circuit’s ninth seat. A Washington Post editorial opined: “It is a disgrace to the party that Lisa Murkowski of Alaska was the only Republican to endorse an up-or-down vote.”

Oregon still waiting for judicial nomination: White House says vetting process for seat is ongoing (Statesman Journal [OR], 08/11/12)
Article extensively quotes Glenn Sugameli, head of Judging the Environment’s Judicial Nomination Project, part of the environmental nonprofit Defenders of Wildlife.

Letter to the editor: GOP partisanship delays filling judgeships (Des Moines Register [IA], 08/09/12)
Glenn Sugameli: The Register editorial “Judges Remain Hostages in the Senate“ (Aug. 7) aptly describes how federal judicial vacancies delay and deny justice, and how Senate Republican obstruction even extends to district court (trial) judges and filibustering unopposed 10th Circuit Court of Appeals nominee Robert Bacharach, who “had the strong support of both home-state senators, Republicans Tom Coburn and Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma.” Senators unanimously agreed, however, to a Sept. 10 confirmation vote for President Barack Obama’s nomination of Stephanie Rose as a U.S. district judge for the Southern District of Iowa. Senate GOP leaders including Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley confined the current shutdown to circuit court of appeals nominees. In the last presidential election year, the Democratic Senate confirmed 10 President George W. Bush district judges on Sept. 26, 2008. All Democratic and Republican home-state senators support the 18 currently pending district court nominees. Sen. Grassley and other Judiciary Committee Republicans approved 15 on voice votes, including 11 of the 12 who would reduce the record number of U.S. Court-declared judicial emergency vacancies. Only senseless GOP partisan obstruction has delayed, and could still prevent, their confirmation.

Letter to the editor: GOP partisanship delays filling judgeships (Indianola Record-Herald [IA], 08/08/12)
From Glenn Sugameli, Staff Attorney, Judging the Environment, Defenders of Wildlife re: Des Moines Register Editorial

Superficial Change on the Federal Bench? (California Lawyer, 08/01/12)
Lawrence Hurley: "The White House has instead adopted what Glenn Sugameli, a lawyer for the environmental group Defenders of Wildlife who tracks judicial nominations, calls a "careful approach." But Sugameli acknowledges that the administration's recent confirmations are "a major accomplishment" that has changed the face of the judiciary from one that is predominantly old, white, and male. ...To Sugameli of Defenders of Wildlife, Republicans' initial resistance to Watford, a man liberals perceive as a mainstream candidate, just seems bizarre. Watford, he groans, is "a corporate lawyer, for God's sake." "

Senators' efforts, allies boost Kayatta's prospects (Portland Press Herald [ME] , 07/30/12)
Glenn Sugameli, Letter to the Editor: "Since 2001, I have tracked judicial nominations for the Judging the Environment project of the group Defenders of Wildlife. Unbroken precedent and recent events bolster the letter from U.S. Sens. Olympia J. Snowe and Susan Collins saying they are "very hopeful" they will "gather the votes needed to confirm" judicial nominee William Kayatta this year ("Election-year politics mar nomination," July 20). Election-year politics have never blocked consensus nominees like Kayatta, whom the Judiciary Committee approved in an April 19 voice vote to fill Maine's only seat on the six-judge 1st Circuit Court of Appeals. Likely allies include Oklahoma's very conservative home-state Republican senators. They strongly support Robert Bacharach, another stalled consensus nominee who was also approved in a committee voice vote. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., called the blockade "stupid," and said that Bacharach would make a great 10th Circuit nominee for a Republican president. Other expected supporters include those who joined Maine's senators to provide the 60 votes that Arizona Republican Sens. Jon Kyl and John McCain needed June 11 to end a filibuster of their home-state judge, Andrew Hurwitz."

[Sen.] Graham support (Herald [Rock Hill, SC], 07/24/12)
Glenn Sugameli Letter to the Editor: "Efforts by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to block all nominees to U.S. Courts of Appeals are even more unprecedented and unjustifiable than explained in Opinions: "Reject the 'Thurmond Rule'" (Los Angeles Times Editorial, July 13). The so-called "Thurmond Rule" Sen. McConnell is claiming to invoke has never prevented Floor votes on Committee-approved consensus, noncontroversial nominations. Those at issue include an unopposed Federal Circuit nominee and two others who are strongly supported by their Oklahoma and Maine home-state Republican senators. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) said McConnell's action was "stupid," and that Robert Bacharach would make a great Tenth Circuit nominee for a Republican president. Maine GOP Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins stated that they would support a cloture motion to end any filibuster of First Circuit nominee William Kayatta, Jr. Previously, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and others in the bi-partisan "Gang of 14" defused filibusters and approved President George W. Bush's controversial Circuit Court nominees. Now, Sen. Graham could help confirm consensus nominees by joining with GOP senators who voted for South Carolina-based trial and appellate court judges whom President Obama nominated with Sen. Graham's strong support.

Conservative Ex-Judge Urges Vote on Appellate Nominee  (Gavel Grab [Justice at Stake blog], 07/23/12)
Peter Hardin: In a sidebar, the Salt Lake Tribune quoted Glenn Sugameli, an attorney and judicial analyst for Defenders of Wildlife, as saying it would be simple for the Senate to act quickly on the dozen or so federal judicial nominees who have won unanimous approval by the Senate Judiciary Committee. “There are plenty of examples in the past when there were votes on a bunch of people at the same time,” he said.

Geraci nomination sent to full Senate  (Daily Record [NY], 07/20/12)
Glenn Sugameli, head of the environmental community’s Judging the Environment project on federal judicial nominations, said he believes Judge Geraci will be confirmed; it is just a question of when. “He could be confirmed next week, but unfortunately, I’m also pretty sure that he won’t be,” Sugameli said, noting that when it does, the Senate has been voting on nominees in the order received from the Judiciary Committee, so there are at least a dozen nominees ahead of Judge Geraci. “I think probably sometime in mid- to late September is most likely,” Sugameli said. ... Sugameli called Lee’s negative vote a token protest he has been registering against all Obama nominees since the president’s recess appointments in January. “Lee’s vote does not reflect any opposition on the merits and the same thing when it comes to the floor,” Sugameli said. He added that Republicans are trying to blame the White House for not nominating people to some of the slots but that, as Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said four years ago, the fact that the Senate does not have nominees for a few seats is no excuse for not voting on the ones it does have. Sugameli said there were 20 judicial emergencies when Obama took office and the fact that that has increased by more than 50 percent, and that there are 77 vacancies, is scandalous. “Whenever there is a vacancy at all, especially when there is a judicial emergency, it really means cases involving people and companies are not heard in a timely manner,” he added. “Justice delayed is justice denied. It’s an old saying, but it’s true. Every day of delay is absolutely unnecessary.” Sugameli said even Republican senators are calling for movement on the judicial nominations. ... He thinks some of that is behind stalling approval of judicial nominees, which he attributed to a lack of understanding of the importance of filling the vacancies and a desire to keep the positions open until after the election in hopes of filling the seats with right wing judges.

Unjustified opinions (Lake Wylie Pilot [SC], 07/17/12)
"Efforts by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to block all nominees to U.S. Courts of Appeals are even more unprecedented and unjustifiable than explained in Opinions: “Reject the ’Thurmond Rule’” ( Los Angeles Times Editorial, July 13). The so-called “Thurmond Rule” Sen. McConnell is claiming to invoke has never prevented Floor votes on Committee-approved consensus, noncontroversial nominations. Those at issue include an unopposed Federal Circuit nominee and two others who are strongly supported by their Oklahoma and Maine Republican senators. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) said McConnell’s action was “stupid,” and that Robert Bacharach would make a great Tenth Circuit nominee for a Republican president. Maine GOP Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins stated that they would support a cloture motion to end any filibuster of First Circuit nominee William Kayatta, Jr. Previously, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and others in the bi-partisan “Gang of 14” defused filibusters and approved President George W. Bush’s controversial Circuit Court nominees. Now, Sen. Graham could help confirm consensus nominees by joining with GOP senators who voted for South Carolina-based trial and appellate court judges whom President Obama nominated with Sen. Graham’s strong support." Lettter to the Editor, from GLENN SUGAMELI, Judging the Environment, Defenders of Wildlife

Robin Rosenbaum confirmed by Senate as U.S. district judge (Daily Business Review [FL], 06/27/12)
Glenn Sugameli, a staff attorney for Judging the Environment, a project of Defenders of Wildlife, has been keeping track of the political theater over federal judicial nominations. "If she had been nominated by any other president, the Senate would have confirmed her long ago," Sugameli said. "Senate Republicans' across-the-board obstruction, delay and blockades of even the most noncontroversial judicial nominees has become so reflexive and irrational that she and those who rely on courts in the Southern District of Florida are actually fortunate that she was belatedly confirmed."

Robin Rosenbaum's vote set for Tuesday (Southern District of Florida Blog, 06/22/12)
Hat Tip -- Glenn Sugameli.

Congressional Gridlock and the Executive: A Battle Over Nominations, Recess Appointments, and the Use of the Filibuster (American Constitution Society Blog, 06/16/12)
Glenn Sugameli comments and question beginning at 1:20:31 of video

Still debating Senate judicial nominations (Fort Worth Star-Telegram [TX], 05/11/12)
Glenn Sugameli, Letter to the Editor: "Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's May 5 letter (See: "U.S. Senate is carrying out constitutional responsibility on judicial nominations" ) compounds the errors I described from her April 26 floor speech, while falsely labeling as "erroneous" my "claim" that the Senate is delaying federal district court nominees. (See also: "Delayed judicial nominees," May 2 letters). Her speech's stated understanding that "we have confirmed ... roughly the same number of district judges as President George Bush and President Clinton did in their first terms," is contradicted by the numbers I cited: Clinton (151), Bush (142) and Obama (113). Her letter's claim of Obama "district court nominees confirmed by the Senate (129)" as of the end of March includes all committee-approved nominees through April 26, more than a dozen of whom are still delayed by Senate Republicans. She also incorrectly claims the Senate will act on three, rather than two, district court nominees (the third is for a circuit court)."

Judge Jordan answers questions at the Bankers Club  (Southern District of Florida Blog, 05/09/12)
David Oscar Markus: "there is a fight brewing over President Obama's most recent nomination to the 11th Circuit -- Jill Pryor. From the AJC: ... Glenn Sugameli calls out the senators: Glenn Sugameli, who tracks judicial nominations for the environmental group Defenders of Wildlife, noted that Georgia's two senators were outspoken in opposing filibusters of President George W. Bush's judicial nominees. In a 2005 joint op-ed in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Chambliss and Isakson wrote “denial of an up-or-down vote goes against basic principles of fairness." Sugameli said the turnaround is striking, considering that the senators are preventing a hearing, much less a filibuster. “To pervert that into a situation where you’re essentially demanding the right to make all of the nominations for all of the slots is outrageous, unwarranted, and ... it really hurts the people not only in Georgia but in the rest of the circuit for whom justice delayed is going to continue to be justice denied,” Sugameli said."

JUDGES: Enviro groups at White House summit urge action on nominations  (Greenwire, 05/07/12)
Representatives from environmental groups were among those attending a White House summit this morning aimed at putting the spotlight on the slow rate at which the Senate has approved judicial nominations. Defenders of Wildlife, the Sierra Club, the League of Conservation Voters and the Environmental Working Group were among 150 groups participating, according to Glenn Sugameli, a lawyer at Defenders of Wildlife. Attorney General Eric Holder was among the administration officials taking part. ... Obama's nominees have "disproportionately been the subject of partisan, unwarranted attacks," said Sugameli, who attended the meeting.

Letter: judicial vacancies: Obstructionism burdens courts (San Diego Union-Tribune [CA] , 04/28/12)
"Greg Moran’s timely story reports that a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee voice vote moved San Diego Superior Court Judge Gonzalo Curiel “one step closer Thursday to a seat on the federal bench.” (“Curiel clears Senate hurdle,” utsandiego.com, April 26.) I agree with law professor Carl Tobias that while Curiel is well-qualified and not a controversial nominee, it might be some months before Curiel’s nomination comes to a full vote. However, there is no valid reason for such a delay, and compelling reasons why waiting months will harm Californians as justice delayed continues to be justice denied in overburdened courts. Indeed, all six vacant California district judgeships and all four empty 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals seats are among vacancies the U.S. courts have officially designated as “judicial emergencies.” Partisan obstruction by Senate Republicans continues to block floor votes on 19 committee-approved judicial nominations, including those that home-state GOP senators support to fill emergency vacancies." – Glenn Sugameli, Judging the Environment, Defenders of Wildlife, Washington, D.C.

President Barack Obama nominates first woman for Baton Rouge federal court  (Bayou Buzz [LA], 04/26/12)
"Dick a founding partner of the law firm Forrester and Dick, LLC , would be the first woman to serve on that court, according to Glenn Sugameli who follows judicial nominees for Defenders of Wildlife. "

JUDICIAL EMERGENCY (Arkansas Times, 04/24/12)
Max Brantley: "The federal Eastern District of Arkansas, based in Little Rock, is now among the 39 districts considered in an emergency situation because of judicial vacancies and caseload. A nomination is pending to fill that vacancy in Arkansas, but the Senate keeps falling further behind on the confirmation process, including a deal that is supposed to produce the confirmation of Kris Baker of Little Rock to the Eastern District opening. Vacancies are twice the number that existed when President Obama took office. There's a lot of blame to spread around, but Republican obstructionism leads the list. Thanks to Glenn Sugameli of Judging the Environment for the news."

Senators must push for judges (Yuma Sun [AZ] , 04/10/12)
Glenn Sugameli letter: "The Yuma Sun's April 1 editorial (“District courts need long-term help”) aptly notes that “technically there is no longer (a statewide) ‘emergency' in the U.S. District Court system in Arizona, but in reality there is.” Indeed, both vacant Arizona district judgeships and all four empty 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals seats are still among 34 vacancies that the U.S. courts have officially designated as “judicial emergencies.” A solution depends upon Arizona's Republican U.S. senators, Jon Kyl and John McCain. They are responsible for what the editorial refers to as one of President Obama's nominees who “has been hung up in Congress.” Sens. Kyl and McCain must help identify a nominee for Arizona's other district vacancy and convince their GOP colleagues to allow floor votes on other nominations. These include Arizona Supreme Court Justice Andrew Hurwitz's 9th Circuit nomination, which they strongly support. As the editorial states, court officials explain that Arizona “needs far more” than the currently authorized 13 district court judgeships. Arizona's senators could also push the Emergency Judicial Relief Act they sponsored which would create more judgeships in Arizona and other border states."

Robin Rosenbaum makes it out of Committee (Southern District of Florida Blog, 03/29/12)
David Oscar Markus: "Next step is the Floor vote. Glenn Sugameli [link] tells me that this will likely happen after May 7, but at least we are moving in the right direction... Congrats to Judge Rosenbaum on today's vote."

Bipartisan effort in works on judicial nominations (Orlando Sentinel [FL] , 03/25/12)
Glenn Sugameli, Letter: "The Sentinel editorial "Road to compromise" on Wednesday urged Congress to break its latest gridlock by passing the bill that was approved by "a bipartisan majority in the Senate." In another critical area, Sens. Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio can build on a bipartisan agreement for belated Senate floor votes by May 7 on 14 consensus judicial nominees. The deal was silent on many others, including nominees who would fill three Florida district-court vacancies and one on the U.S. Court of Appeals that decides Florida cases. Justice delayed is justice denied, especially for people and businesses affected by 35 current vacancies (three in Florida) that courts have declared judicial emergencies. Fortunately, Nelson and Rubio have worked together to fill judicial vacancies, including the Court of Appeals confirmation of Florida U.S. District Judge Adalberto Jordán. They can reiterate their strong hearing testimony for Robin Rosenbaum's pending district-court nomination, push for prompt Senate consideration of the other nominees, and identify consensus choices for a current and an announced Florida vacancy."

Vote on District Court Nominee Michael Fitzgerald Set for Today (Metropolitan News-Enterprise [CA], 03/15/12)
One attorney advocating in favor of Obama’s nominees said yesterday’s agreement could lead to votes on those choices as well. “By ensuring merits votes on 14 judicial nominees, the deal could and should actually free up the Senate floor time that may be needed to push other nominees…past obstruction to floor votes and confirmation,” Glenn Sugameli told the MetNews. Sugameli is based in Washington, D.C. and works for a coalition of environmental groups.

Senate GOP Upset by Harry Reid’s Nominations Tactic (Roll Call, 03/14/12)
Some argue that voting “present” is not a moderate middle ground because cloture requires 60 affirmative votes. “Voting ‘present’ on a cloture motion is the same as voting ‘no,’” said Glenn Sugameli, a staff attorney with Defenders Of Wildlife in Washington. “You need 60 ‘yes’ votes to break a filibuster, and it doesn’t matter how many Senators vote ‘present’ or ‘no.’”

Senate GOP Upset by Harry Reid's Nominations Tactic (Congressional Quarterly, 03/13/12)
"Sen. Lindsey Graham said he plans to vote “present.” “I think I have a pretty good record on being reasonable on judges; this is an unreasonable approach by the Majority Leader,” the South Carolina Republican said. “I’m voting ‘present.’ “I will wind up voting for most of the judges, if not all of them at some point, but I am not going to [allow] the Minority Leader [to be] run over by the Majority Leader. “I am not against the judges, I am against the process, which will hurt the Senate’s ability to operate in a collegial manner in the future,” Graham added. Some argue that voting “present” is not a moderate middle ground because cloture requires 60 affirmative votes. “Voting ‘present’ on a cloture motion is the same as voting ‘no,’” said Glenn Sugameli, a staff attorney with Defenders Of Wildlife in Washington. “You need 60 ‘yes’ votes to break a filibuster, and it doesn’t matter how many Senators vote ‘present’ or ‘no.’”"

Confirmations blocked  (Miami Herald, 03/05/12)
Glenn Sugameli, Letter to the Editor: "Florida’s senators Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson both strongly supported Jordan’s nomination which the Judiciary Committee unanimously approved way back on Oct. 13. After a bizarre silent filibuster, the Senate forced a floor vote in an overwhelming 89-5 cloture vote on Feb. 13. Two days later, the Senate finally confirmed [Adalberto] Jordan. Unfortunately, Senate Republicans continue to block floor votes on 20 judicial nominees, most of whom were approved unanimously in committee."

Judge Jordan confirmed 94-5!  (Southern District of Florida Blog, 02/15/12)
David Oscar Markus: "Congratulations to the judge and his family. What a great addition to the 11th Circuit. He will be missed on the trial bench... Glenn Sugameli has all of the scoop here, here, and here. [links]

Monday night line (Arkansas Times, 02/12/12)
Max Brantley: "JUDICIAL VOTE: Glenn Sugameli, staff attorney at Judging the Environment, Defenders of Wildlife, calls my attention to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's announced intention to call a cloture vote (looks like it will be Wednesday) on an effective Republican filibuster of 17 federal district judge nominations, including Kristine Baker of Little Rock. Reid says the nominations are routine and some are needed in districts with emergency needs. He said Republicans are gumming up the process to embarrass the president. It will be interesting to see where Sen. John "Dr. No" Boozman votes on cloture, given that he nominally supports Baker for the eastern district judgeship in Little Rock. Her nomination has been pending for more than four months."

Judge Jordan to be confirmed Monday? (Southern District of Florida Blog, 02/09/12)
David Oscar Markus: "There's a very good chance of that according to Glenn Sugameli, who has been all over the judicial appointment process."

Collins should re-examine actions (York County Coast Star [ME], 01/26/12)
Glenn Sugameli Letter: Sen. Susan Collins’ “frustration that Washington cannot seem to set aside partisan bickering.” Partisan bickering is epitomized by Senate Republicans’ blockages of consensus judicial nominees with bipartisan home-state senator support. The Judiciary Committee unanimously approved 16 blocked nominees, including several to fill court-declared judicial emergency vacancies. ... Halligan was nominated to what is now the ninth seat, one of three vacancies on the 11-judge court. The Senate (with Collins’ and Snowe’s support) confirmed four President Bush D.C. Circuit judges including one to the 11th judgeship. Until the Halligan filibuster, no one claimed the D.C. Circuit should only have eight judges."

Collins and Snowe must set partisan politics aside (Seacoastonline [Southern ME & NH], 01/25/12)
Glenn Sugameli Letter: "Sen. Susan Collins’ “frustration that Washington cannot seem to set aside partisan bickering.” Partisan bickering is epitomized by Senate Republicans’ blockages of consensus judicial nominees with bipartisan home-state senator support. The Judiciary Committee unanimously approved 16 blocked nominees, including several to fill court-declared judicial emergency vacancies. Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee said, “There is absolutely no reason why we shouldn’t have confirmed (his state’s nominee) before we got out” in December. Working with Sen. Lee, Sen. Collins and Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, could build on their recent efforts that finally confirmed Maine’s first female federal judge, Nancy Torresen. Collins and Snowe also must fill Maine’s First Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals judgeship. As Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., recently stressed, the Senate needs to fill vacant judgeships “soon. I certainly hope we don’t have to wait until after the election.” Collins should re-examine her stated reason for joining a December partisan filibuster of Caitlin Halligan, Obama’s only D.C. circuit nominee: “That particular seat has been vacant for six years and the work load has declined during that period of time.” Workload depends on how many judges a court currently has, not which “particular seat” (judge) a nominee would replace. Halligan was nominated to what is now the ninth seat, one of three vacancies on the 11-judge court. The Senate (with Collins’ and Snowe’s support) confirmed four President Bush D.C. circuit judges including one to the 11th judgeship. Until the Halligan filibuster, no one claimed the D.C. circuit should only have eight judges."

Johnny Isakson, Saxby Chambliss send judicial signals to White House (Atlanta Journal Constitution, 01/24/12)
Jim Galloway column quotes "necessary background " including: Glenn Sugameli, who closely tracks judicial nominations for the environmental group Defenders of Wildlife, cited the op-ed in charging the senators with hypocrisy. “They’ve said that [nominees deserve a vote] over and over again, ” Sugameli said of Georgia’s two senators. “Well, to my knowledge, the Constitution hasn’t changed. It seems what’s happening is a change of their position that’s all about partisan politics and a Democratic president.”

JUDICIAL NOMINATION:  (Arkansas Times, 01/20/12)
Max Brantley, Arkansas Blog: "The Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled a hearing on the nomination of Kristine Baker of Little Rock to an eastern district federal judgeship the afternoon of Jan. 26. Can President Obama sneak another appointee through from Arkansas before the election year is out? Her support from both Sens. Mark Pryor and Dr. No Boozman, could help her with Republicans who've slowed judicial confirmations to a crawl. Glenn Sugameli, who follows nominations closely for Judging the Environment, predicts the Baker nomination will be confirmed this year"

Judicial vacancies need to be filled  (United States Senators blog, 01/17/12)
Glenn Sugameli's Las Vegas Sun Letter to the Editor

Sugameli: Filibusters leave courts short-handed (Milford Daily News [MA], 01/12/12)
Letter to the Editor, GLENN SUGAMELI, Staff Attorney, Judging the Environment, Defenders of Wildlife

Sugameli: Filibusters leave courts short-handed (Weston [MA] Town Crier, 01/12/12)
Glenn Sugameli Letter to the Editor

Sugameli: Filibusters leave courts short-handed (Marlborough [MA] Enterprise, 01/12/12)
Glenn Sugameli Letter to the Editor

Sugameli: Filibusters leave courts short-handed (Shrewsbury [MA] Chronicle , 01/12/12)
Glenn Sugameli Letter to the Editor

Sugameli: Filibusters leave courts short-handed (MetroWest Daily News [MA], 01/12/12)
Glenn Sugameli: "An unprecedented federal judicial vacancy crisis means justice delayed is justice denied. Unnamed Republican senators’ unexplained objections have denied floor votes to 19 pending judicial nominees. All are supported by both home-state senators, and almost all were approved unanimously by the Judiciary Committee. After the Senate left until late January, Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee said about his state’s nominee: “There is absolutely no reason why we shouldn’t have confirmed him before we got out.” In December, Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) disingenuously or ignorantly claimed that he joined a partisan filibuster of Caitlin Halligan, President Obama’s only D.C. Circuit nominee, because “the D.C. Circuit has a comparatively small caseload.” Halligan, however, was nominated to fill the ninth seat, one of three vacancies on the 11 judge court. The Senate confirmed four President Bush D.C. Circuit nominees including Thomas Griffith to be the 11th D.C. Circuit judge. Until the Halligan filibuster, no one claimed the DC Circuit should only have eight judges."

Sugameli: Filibusters leave courts short-handed (Hopkinton [MA] Crier, 01/12/12)
Glenn Sugameli Letter to the Editor

Sugameli: Filibusters leave courts short-handed (Ashland TAB [MA], 01/12/12)
Letter to the Editor, GLENN SUGAMELI, Staff Attorney, Judging the Environment, Defenders of Wildlife

Sugameli: Filibusters leave courts short-handed (Hudson [MA] Sun, 01/12/12)
Glenn Sugameli Letter to the Editor

LETTER: GOP obstruction  (Northwest Florida Daily News, 01/03/12)
Glenn Sugameli: "Unexplained and unjustifiable objections by unnamed Senate Republicans repeatedly have blocked floor votes on consensus judicial nominees with home-state senator support. Sixteen of these were approved unanimously by the Judiciary Committee, including Florida’s federal district court Judge Adalberto Jordán, whose 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals nomination would fill a vacancy the courts have decided is a judicial emergency. After the Senate left until late January, Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee said of his state’s nominee: “There is absolutely no reason why we shouldn’t have confirmed him before we got out.” Florida Sens. Marco Rubio (R) and Bill Nelson (D) should work with Sen. Lee to ensure floor votes for Judge Jordán and other committee-approved judicial nominees."

Federal courts: Judicial nominees need floor votes  (Herald [WA] , 01/01/12)
Glenn Sugameli, Letter to the Editor: "Unexplained and unjustifiable objections by unnamed Senate Republicans repeatedly have blocked floor votes on consensus judicial nominees with home-state senator support. Sixteen of these were approved unanimously by the Judiciary Committee, including Thomas Rice for a Washington state federal district court and Jacqueline Nguyen, who would fill a judicial emergency on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which includes Washington state. After the Senate left until late January, Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee said about his state's nominee "There is absolutely no reason why we shouldn't have confirmed him before we got out." Washington Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell should work with Sen. Lee and others to ensure that committee-approved judicial nominees receive floor votes."

Approve judicial nominees (Deseret News [UT] , 12/30/11)
Glenn Sugameli Letter to the Editor: "everyone should agree that the Senate is already harming federal courts in Utah and nationwide. Justice delayed is justice denied as obstruction has resulted in an unprecedented lack of federal judges. Unexplained and unjustifiable objections by unnamed Senate Republicans repeatedly have blocked floor votes on consensus judicial nominees with home-state senator support. Sixteen of these were approved unanimously by the Judiciary Committee, including David Nuffer, who would fill a Utah vacancy the U.S. Courts have decided is a judicial emergency. After the Senate left until late January, Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee said, "There is absolutely no reason why we shouldn't have confirmed him (Nuffer) before we got out." Only Utah has two senators on the Judiciary Committee: Sen. Lee and Sen. Orrin Hatch. They could ensure floor votes for Nuffer and other committee-approved judicial nominees."

Glenn Sugameli: Ron Johnson still blocking OK for judges (Wisconsin State Journal, 12/30/11)
Letter to the Editor

Groh, Thacker nominations could see vote in February  (West Virginia Record, 12/23/11)
Glenn Sugameli, who has headed the Judging the Environment project on judicial nominations since 2001, called it a "decades-old tradition" by Senate Republicans. "Outrageous, blanket holds (filibuster threats) by Senate Republicans continue to deny floor votes to every one of 21 pending judicial nominees, nearly all of whom the Judiciary Committee approved unanimously or with token opposition," he said in a statement last week. "Senate Republican roadblocks have prevented votes on every nominee to the federal bench for more than another month, regardless of need, strong home-state Republican Senator support and qualifications." Judicial vacancies have soared to 100, including 29 that the U.S. courts have declared to be "judicial emergencies," Sugameli said. "Urgent health, safety, environmental and other cases require filling judicial vacancies now, as recognized by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. and Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, the American Bar Association, Federal Bar Association, and countless editorials boards and commentators from across the nation," he said.

After 202-day delay, Senate confirms judge for appeals court seat  (NorthIowaToday.com, 12/16/11)
Los Angeles Times article quoting Glenn Sugameli, an attorney and judicial analyst for Defenders of Wildlife.

After 202-day delay, Senate confirms judge for appeals court seat (Bellingham Herald [WA] , 12/16/11)
Los Angeles Times article quoting Glenn Sugameli, an attorney and judicial analyst for Defenders of Wildlife.

Obama judicial nominee Morgan Christen confirmed, at last: After a 202-day delay, the Senate confirms Alaska Supreme Court Justice Morgan Christen to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. (Los Angeles Times, 12/16/11)
"After inexcusable, unexplained Republican refusals to allow a vote, the Senate finally confirmed Morgan Christen" months after her unanimous approval by the committee and the bipartisan backing of her home-state senators, said Glenn Sugameli, an attorney and judicial analyst for Defenders of Wildlife.

Myths And Falsehoods About Judicial Nominee Caitlin Halligan (Media Matters for America, 12/02/11)
"Defenders of Wildlife's Judging the Environment project has compiled quotations from sitting senators who have said or suggested that it is unconstitutional to filibuster judicial nominees. Some of those senators have maintained that position during the Obama administration. [JudgingTheEnvironment.org, accessed 12/1/11]" [and many other links to Judging the Environment website]

House readies vote on Balanced Budget Amend. (Washington Monthly, 11/18/11)
"Yesterday, a key House Republican announced his opposition to the constitutional monstrosity. (thanks to Glenn Sugameli for the tip)"

October is banner month for judge confirmations (Reuters, 11/01/11)
"the president must push through more than 80 nominees before the end of his term to catch up to his predecessor. The Senate's work is far from over. There are currently 22 nominees awaiting confirmation on the Senate floor, and the Senate judiciary committee on Thursday is scheduled to vote on five more nominees. Nominees often stall as they await a vote by the full Senate, with votes taking an average of more than 100 days after judiciary committee approval, according to White House statistics. "They are not making it to the floor -- which is what matters," said Glenn Sugameli, a lawyer with the left-leaning Defenders of Wildlife who tracks judicial nominations."

SUPREME COURT: Justices decline to take delta smelt case  (Greenwire, 10/31/11)
Lawrence Hurley: "Jason Rylander, an attorney at Defenders of Wildlife, noted that the Supreme Court has now declined on six different occasions to take up constitutional challenges to the ESA. "There can be no doubt that the Commerce Clause provides Congress ample authority to protect America's wildlife heritage," he said."

Supreme Court rejects delta smelt Commerce Clause petition (Endangered Species & Wetlands Report, 10/31/11)
Defenders of Wildlife senior attorney Jason Rylander, who filed an amicus brief on behalf of Defenders, the Institute for Fisheries Resources, and the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, had this to say: “Six times now, the Supreme Court has rebuffed radical special interest attacks on the constitutionality of the Endangered Species Act. The ESA properly protects all species because of their actual and potential biological, economic, and aesthetic values. There can be no doubt that the Commerce Clause provides Congress ample authority to protect America’s wildlife heritage.” Rylander noted that five separate courts of appeal in six cases have found the ESA constitutional

PUBLISHED LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ON PENDING JUDICIAL NOMINEES, OBSTRUCTION & VACANCY CRISIS/ EMERGENCIES (Sept. 2010-11) (, 10/17/11)

Senate confirms Hickey to Arkansas judgeship UPDATE  (Arkansas Times, 10/13/11)
"UPDATE: Republican Sen. Charles Grassley said he'd vote against Hickey's confirmation, according to Glenn Sugameli, whose Judging the Environment follows the judicial confirmation process."

Judge Jordan voice vote with no opposition  (Southern District of Florida Blog, 10/13/11)
Congrats to Judge Jordan who took the next step today in getting to the 11th Circuit. The judiciary committee's voice vote was unanimous today on Judge Jordan. Senator Sessions even congratulated President Obama on nominating Judge Jordan, who said he had met with him and was impressed with his "12 good years as a district judge" and his prior experience. Cool! HT: Glenn Sugameli

"Absurd' delay in Senate on judicial nominations (Kennebec Journal [ME] , 10/02/11)
“Torresen's nomination getting to the Senate floor is a "good sign and is an example of home state senators pushing for action," said Glenn Sugameli, a staff attorney with Defenders of Wildlife in Washington and head of the Judging the Environment project, which works with progressive groups on federal judicial selection issues. "But it is still absurd, the way these things are inching through."”

Votes scheduled on judicial nominees (Arkansas News, 09/28/11)
"Glenn Sugameli, who follows federal judicial nominations for Judging the Environment, sends word that some of the U.S. Senate logjam on judicial confirmations has been broken and that this should be good news for Circuit Judge Susan Hickey of El Dorado, who’s been recommended for confirmation to a judgeship in the western district of Arkansas...

Senate Cuts Deal to Vote on 10 of 27 Pending Judicial Nominees (American Constitution Society Blog, 09/27/11)
Glenn Sugameli, who leads the Defenders of Wildlife’s Judging the Environment project, praised the “partial break in the deep freeze on U.S. Senate confirmations of judicial nominees,” but lamented that the deal “unjustifiably leaves in limbo 17 judicial nominees awaiting votes, most of those who were approved unanimously by the Senate Judiciary Committee.” “Senate Republican obstruction needlessly continues to prolong the judicial vacancy crisis by preventing votes, regardless of need, qualifications and bipartisan home-state Senator support,” Sugameli said in a statement.

Green nomination stuck in Senate (Daily Record [NY], 09/27/11)
Twenty-seven nominations, including Green’s, have been approved by the Judiciary Committee and forwarded to the Senate for a vote, according to Glenn Sugameli, staff attorney for Defenders of Wildlife’s Judging the Environment project, which tracks federal judicial nominations....That unjustifiably leaves 17 judicial nominations in limbo, Sugameli said, noting he has no idea why Green’s is not included with those coming up for votes, but believes Senate Republicans are holding up the nomination process. “This pace has been very slow since they came back from the August recess,” Sugameli said. “The only real reason for this process, I’m convinced, is that they’re just trying to clog up the pipeline so there will be a lot of vacancies to be filled after the next presidential election.” ... “I can say the only reason they aren’t having votes on all the nominees that cleared committee is that one or more Republicans, anonymously, is objecting to having floor votes at this time,” Sugameli said. He said what is unusual is that many of the nominations were unanimously confirmed by “a very polarized committee” and are still not coming to a vote, which he said has never happened before — at least in the 10 years his project has been around. Sugameli said Green’s nomination was approved by voice vote with Sen. Michael S. Lee, R-Utah, the only one opposed. He said others who had more opposition or came out of committee after Green have been moved ahead of him. “It’s really bizarre,” Sugameli said. “I know there was some initial buzz about why he wasn’t moving, but once he moved, it stopped. If there was any issue at all, I’m convinced there would have been a bunch of ‘no’ votes [in committee]. I think it’s pretty safe to say nothing will happen on Green and the others until at least Oct. 11.”

Has Will shifted position on ruling (Daily Herald [IL], 09/26/11)
Glenn Sugameli letter: "George Will’s column, “A ruling’s valuable rehabilitation” (Sept. 9), ignored the overwhelming rejection of the position he advocates by conservative jurists — and by George Will. Will claims that the Supreme Court “correctly decided” Lochner v. New York in 1905. However, the author of the book Will relies on reacted by stressing that “conservative jurists have been, if anything, even more anti-Lochner than their liberal counterparts.”"

Letter to the editor: Will forgets his position? (Erie Times-News [PA], 09/24/11)
Glenn Sugameli: "George Will's column "Anti-liberal ruling rehabilitated" (Erie Times-News, Sept. 12) has a fatal flaw: Will's claim that the Supreme Court "correctly decided Lochner" in 1905 has been rejected overwhelmingly by conservatives, including Will himself."

Our readers speak: George Will column used flawed facts, judicial history (Montana Standard, 09/20/11)
Glenn Sugameli: "George Will's "1905 ruling relevant to current arguments" (Sept. 8) has a fatal flaw: Will's claim that the Supreme Court "correctly decided Lochner" in 1905 has been rejected overwhelmingly by conservatives-including George Will."

Will's take on 1905 ruling at odds with earlier column (Island Packet [SC], 09/18/11)
Glenn Sugameli Letter to the Editor: George Will's Sept. 9 column "Ruling's rehabilitation backs individual rights over regulation" ignores a key fact: Will's claim that the Supreme Court "correctly decided Lochner" in 1905 has been rejected overwhelmingly by conservatives -- including George Will."

Which is it, George? (Ledger-Enquirer [GA], 09/15/11)
Glenn Sugameli Letter to the Editor: Anyone enamored by George Will’s “The rehabilitation of a court ruling” (Ledger-Enquirer, Sept. 11) should consider the overwhelming rejection of the position he advocates by conservative jurists and by George Will. Will claims that the Supreme Court “correctly decided Lochner” in 1905. However, the author of the book Will relies on reacted by stressing that “conservative jurists have been, if anything, even more anti–Lochner than their liberal counterparts.” Libertarian professor Don Bordeaux pointed out that: “conservatives -- including Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Scalia -- routinely join 'Progressives’ in bashing Lochner. No less a conservative icon than Robert Bork derides Lochner as being 'the symbol, indeed the quintessence, of judicial usurpation of power.'” Finally, as National Review commentator Matthew J. Franck explains: “This is the same George Will who in 1996 described Lochner as standing for the proposition that “the court can overturn laws it considers unwise.” Later the same year, he called Lochner’s brand of substantive due process the “tendentious doctrine that many government actions distasteful to judges can be baldly declared to be the results of constitutionally impermissible processes.”

Letters: Judicial nominees had widespread support (Oshkosh Northwestern [WI] , 09/14/11)
Glenn Sugameli Letter

Letters: Judicial nominees had widespread support (Fond du Lac Reporter [WI] , 09/14/11)
Glenn Sugameli Letter

Letters: Judicial nominees had widespread support (Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune, 09/14/11)
Glenn Sugameli Letter

GEORGE WILL: Conservatives reject columnist's claim (News Tribune [WA] , 09/14/11)
Glenn Sugameli Letter: " Re: “Government shouldn't so easily erase individual rights” (George Will column, 9-8). Will ignores a key fact: His claim that the Supreme Court “correctly decided Lochner” in 1905 has been rejected overwhelmingly by conservatives — including by Will himself."

Letters: Judicial nominees had widespread support (Marshfield News Herald [WI], 09/14/11)
Glenn Sugameli Letter

Letters: Judicial nominees had widespread support (Green Bay Press Gazette [WI], 09/14/11)
Glenn Sugameli Letter

Glenn Sugameli: Johnson is only freshman GOP senator blocking own state’s judicial nominees (Political Scoops, 08/10/11)
Cap Times Letter to the Editor

Democrats say GOP senators blocked a vote on Texas judge, 19 others (Houston Chronicle, 08/05/11)
Republican obstruction is perpetuating the judicial crisis “by preventing votes on many nominees to the federal bench, regardless of need, bipartisan support and qualifications,” said Glenn Sugameli, founder of Defenders of Wildlife’s “Judging the Environment” project, which tracks judicial issues.

ONE OPENING FILLED, OTHER MAY BE CREATED: Williams confirmed, Jordan nominated  (Daily Business Review [FL], 08/04/11)
Some civic groups are outraged that some Republican senators are still blocking 20 nominees with bipartisan support. "There are many important cases that are being delayed because vacancies are not being filled," said Glenn Sugameli, staff attorney for Judging the Environment, which monitors federal judicial nominations. "It affects businesses, it affects ordinary people, it's a real judicial vacancy crisis."

Senate recess leaves judicial nominees hanging  (Daily Record [NY], 08/04/11)
"Glenn Sugameli, staff attorney for Judging the Environment's federal judicial nominations project, also blames unnamed Republicans for blocking floor votes on the nominees. It's deja vu all over again, he said in an issued statement, noting the American Bar Association wrote Senate leaders July 28, urging up-or-down votes on all unopposed nominees. Instead, Senate Republican obstruction perpetuates the judicial vacancy crisis by preventing votes on many nominees to the federal bench, regardless of need, bi-partisan support and qualifications, he said. Urgent health, safety, environmental and other cases require that judicial vacancies be filled now, as recognized by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. and ... countless editorials boards and commentators from across the nation."

Leahy Accuses GOP Senators of Delaying Judicial Confirmations  (Gavel Grab [Justice at Stake blog], 08/03/11)
Also critical was Glenn Sugameli of Judging the Environment. “The American Bar Association President’s July 28, 2011 letter to Senate Leaders urged up-or-down votes on all unopposed nominees before the Senate left town until after Labor Day,” Sugameli said in a statement. “Instead, Senate Republican obstruction perpetuates the judicial vacancy crisis by preventing votes on many nominees to the federal bench, regardless of need, bi-partisan support, and qualifications.”

Kan. senators block former AG's appeals court bid (Associated Press, 07/28/11)
""Kansas senators' continued failures to say why they oppose Steve Six's nomination, in the face of many Kansas editorial boards urging them to explain, strongly suggests that the senators' motives are unjustified and cannot stand the light of day," said Glenn Sugameli, a staff attorney for Judging the Environment who has been monitoring Six's nomination."

Senate Judiciary Committee approves Higginson and Triche-Milazzo judicial nominations (Times-Picayune [LA] , 07/14/11)
Glenn Sugameli, who runs the "Judging the Environment" project for Defenders of Wildlife, which monitors the judicial confirmation process, said in the current environment, Vitter could play a critical role. "Strong home-state senator pressure for floor votes could make the difference in whether these nominees avoid the limbo to which Louisiana's Jolivette-Brown and other consensus judicial nominees have been consigned by anonymous GOP holds," Sugameli said.

Different CO2 take (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review [PA] , 07/07/11)
Glenn Sugameli, Letter to the Editor: "The editorial "The EPA & the courts: The CO2 question" (June 27 and TribLIVE.com) misdescribes a new U.S. Supreme Court decision while ignoring a previous one. First, only federal common law claims were barred by the latest ruling; it did not, as the editorial claims, reject "a lawsuit that sought to use public-nuisance laws to force utilities to cut CO2 emissions." In fact, the decision asked lower courts to decide if the Clean Air Act allows the case's state common law public nuisance claims and noted that the Clean Water Act allows "nuisance claim(s) pursuant to the law of the source State." Second, the editorial misleadingly claims that "EPA's fallacious classification of carbon dioxide as a pollutant was left unaddressed. ... Not at issue was EPA regulating CO2 as a pollutant ..." In 2007, however, the court ruled that "Because greenhouse gases fit well within the Clean Air Act's capacious definition of 'air pollutant,' we hold that EPA has the statutory authority to regulate the emission of such gases from new motor vehicles." In the current case, only Justices Alito and Thomas distanced themselves from that 2007 ruling, noting that they assumed "for the sake of argument" that it is correct."

Sugameli Comment on: The Other Decision: The Supreme Court Extinguishes Creative Climate Change Litigation  (Huffington Post, 06/22/11)
"Prof. Brescia's valuable analysis may confuse readers on one point. I suggest that he clarify that the ruling is limited to FEDERAL nuisance law claims. E.g. he refers to: 'the plaintiffs alleging that these defendants­' emissions were creating a nuisance under federal and state common law. … Yet, in a definitive­, 8-0 decision released yesterday, the Supreme Court foreclosed this avenue of redress in the area of air quality and climate change.' He accurately mentions that 'federal common law offers no redress to the litigants at this time.' but is silent on the state common law claims, which may well confuse readers. The Court quoted its prior holding that the Clean Water Act does not preclude aggrieved individual­s from bringing a 'nuisance claim pursuant to the law of the source State' and allowed lower courts to decide if the Clean Air Act allowed nuisance claims under state common law in this case. AEP v. CT at pp. 15-16. Ilya Shapiro's Cato Institute analysis: 'In Global Warming Case, Supreme Court Reaches Correct Result But Leaves Room for Mischievou­s Litigation' lamented that 'the Court left open the possibilit­y of claims on state common-law grounds such as nuisance.'"

Grassley wants more discussion on Green (Daily Record [NY], 06/09/11)
Denise M. Champagne: "“It is extremely unusual for a district court nominee with home-state-senator support like Green to be held up in committee,” said Glenn Sugameli, staff attorney for Judging the Environment, who has headed its federal judicial nominations project since 2001. “It would be very unusual for a district court nominee like Mike Green, who is supported by both home-state senators to be delayed beyond the next Senate Judiciary meeting, which is what Sen. Grassley seemed to be suggesting this morning.” Sugameli said GOP senators have been holding over every Obama judicial nominee once until the committee’s subsequent executive business meeting, which, “as Sen. Leahy says, is their right, but which Democratic senators did not do to President George W. Bush’s non-controversial judicial nominees.”"

YOUR VIEW: It is Jeff Sessions who misses point on filibustering nominees (Birmingham News [AL] , 06/06/11)
Glenn Sugameli, Letter to the Editor: It is U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions' June 2 letter, "Senate's duty is to block judicial nominees like Liu," that "misses an important point," not the News' May 26 editorial he criticizes. Sessions falsely claims Goodwin Liu "believes the Constitution can be effectively rewritten by judges" who are "empowered to redefine the Constitution to advance the political agendas they favor." That claim is belied by Liu's record, his testimony in response to questions from Sessions and others, and the broad support for Liu's nomination from leading conservatives. Ironically, Sessions seems to believe individual senators are empowered to redefine the Constitution to advance their political agendas. In opposing Democratic filibusters, he insisted "there is no doubt the Founders understood that confirmation of a judicial nomination requires only a simple majority vote," so filibusters of nominees were in "violation of the Constitution." Yet Sessions voted to filibuster Liu, even though the Constitution was not amended by the "Gang of 14" senators' agreement he describes.

Same as voting ‘No’  (Salt Lake Tribune [UT], 05/25/11)
Glenn Sugameli, Letter to the Editor: Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch has repeatedly insisted, as he did in 2003, that “Every judicial nominee who reaches the Senate floor deserves an up or down vote. That’s fair and what the Constitution requires.” On May 19, however, Hatch’s vote on a filibuster against Goodwin Liu’s long-delayed judicial nomination helped deny an up or down vote that Hatch insists “the Constitution requires.” Matt Canham reported that Hatch “was the only senator to vote ‘present’ on Thursday. He refuses to vote to block a nomination from going forward but didn’t want his vote misconstrued as supporting Liu’s nomination.” (“Lee cites Alito criticism in voting against judicial nomination,” Tribune, May 20) But as columnist Jamie Dupree explained: “There’s only one problem with that argument — voting ‘Present’ on a cloture motion is the same as voting ‘No.’ You need 60 ‘Yes’ votes to break a filibuster — and it doesn’t matter how many senators vote ‘Present’ or ‘No.’’”

GOP On Track To Block Obama Judicial Nominee For First Time (Fox News, 05/19/11)
A expert in the area of federal judicial selection, attorney Glenn Sugameli, questioned both Thune and Isakson this time around. "Do Sens. Thune and Isakson think the Constitution has been amended recently to allow filibusters of judicial nominees? They insisted the Constitution requires up or down votes for all judicial nominees in major 2005 Floor speeches, which Sen. Isakson reiterated two weeks ago."

Key Senators to Support Filibuster of Goodwin Liu (National Law Journal, 05/18/11)
Liu’s supporters said the Republicans are contradicting statements they’ve made against judicial filibusters since at least the George W. Bush administration. Glenn Sugameli, who follows judicial nominations for Defenders of Wildlife, pointed to a statement Isakson made two weeks ago as reported by the conservative Web site CNSNews.com. “As I said repeatedly during the years President Bush was in office, I believe every president deserves an up-or-down vote on their judicial nominees,” Isakson told the Web site. “In addition, the U.S. Constitution says it is the Senate’s responsibility to give ‘advice and consent’ to the president’s judicial nominees, and the way to comply with the Constitution is to have an up-or-down vote on these nominees.”

Letter: Cornyn has flip-flopped (Amarillo Globe-News [TX], 05/15/11)
Glenn Sugameli, Letter to the Editor: "Texas GOP U.S. Sen. John Cornyn almost single-handedly pushed to filibuster a President Obama nominee with bipartisan support to fill a Rhode Island U.S. trial court seat. Cornyn's position directly violated his 2004 insistence that "the U.S. Constitution demands" up-or-down votes on judges. In contrast, 11 Republicans voted to end the filibuster. Strangely, Cornyn denied the Amarillo Globe-News' editorial description of how this threatened filibuster constituted a flip-flop. Cornyn's explanation rejects Original Intent and agrees with those who say the Constitution should be interpreted in light of modern health care and other situations the Founders did not foresee. "I argued then, and still believe today, that filibusters of judicial nominees are not what the Founders intended. Yet, the Founders did not foresee the systematic partisan obstruction of judges nominated by our former president." But does Sen. Cornyn seriously believe he can deny a "vote the U.S. Constitution demands" because of recent actions by "a minority of senators"? Cornyn's filibuster also violated the "precedent" he relied on. The filibusters Sen. Cornyn cited were limited to some of President George W. Bush's appeals court nominees, all of whom lacked any bipartisan support in the Senate Judiciary Committee. In voting to end Cornyn's filibuster, GOP Sen. Lamar Alexander explained that a Senate filibuster has never blocked confirmation of a nominee for 677 district court seats. Indeed, trial-level decisions do not even bind other judges."

Snowe, Collins lauded for judicial nomination stances (Portland Press Herald [ME] , 05/05/11)
Still, the Maine senators’ decision to vote against their GOP leadership’s attempted filibuster “exemplified consistency and integrity,” says Glenn Sugameli, a staff attorney with the Washington-based Defenders of Wildlife’s Judging the Environment project on judicial nominations. Their vote to end the filibuster is an example of helping prevent the stalling of Obama judicial nominees, even if Collins and Snowe were opposed to the nomination, Sugameli says.

Who's Cornyn kidding? (San Antonio Express-News [TX] , 04/27/11)
Glenn Sugameli, Your Turn: "Sen. John Cornyn's letter bizarrely denied the Express-News Editorial Board statement that he flip-flopped by threatening to filibuster a federal trial court nominee. “I argued then,” he said, “and still believe today, that filibusters of judicial nominees are not what the Founders intended. Yet, the Founders did not foresee the systematic partisan obstruction of judges nominated by our former president.” But Cornyn insisted in a 2004 floor speech that the Senate “provide the up-or-down vote the U.S. Constitution demands.” He did not refer to what “the Founders intended the U.S. Constitution to demand.” Does Cornyn really believe “a minority of senators” can create a “precedent” that would deny a “vote the U.S. Constitution demands”? Also, in two major respects, Cornyn's threatened filibuster violates the “precedent” he relies on of filibusters against some of President George W. Bush's appeals court nominations. First, Cornyn would extend filibusters to nominees for 677 district court seats, whose trial-level decisions do not bind other judges. Second, he would filibuster a nomination with bipartisan support in the Judiciary Committee, where a Republican, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., voted three times for the nominee to fill a Rhode Island federal judgeship."

JUDICIAL OPENINGS: Senate filibusters could create a crisis (Idaho Statesman, 04/22/11)
Glenn Sugameli, Letter to the Editor: "“Federal judge, 103, still hearing cases in Kansas” (April 10) explained how U.S. District Judge Wesley Brown’s “service also epitomizes how the federal court system keeps working even as litigation steadily increases, new judgeships remain rare, and judicial openings go unfilled for months or years.” Indeed, an Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts spokesman said, “Senior judges keep the federal court system afloat given the rising caseloads.” In 2005, Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo and then-Sen. Larry Craig “continue(d) to stress that the Constitution requires the Senate to hold up-or-down votes on all nominees.” Recently, however, threatened filibusters by some Senate Republicans have created a crisis by blocking up-or-down votes to fill judicial vacancies. Indeed, empty judgeships have almost doubled since President Obama took office. Soon, senators will vote on filibusters with unprecedented reach. One targeted nominee has bipartisan support both in his home state of Rhode Island and in the Judiciary Committee, where Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.) voted for him three times. This and other filibusters would even extend to nominees for 677 trial level district court seats, whose decisions do not control other judges."

Senate must allow votes on judicial nominees (Richmond Times-Dispatch [VA], 03/29/11)
Glenn Sugameli, Letter to the Editor: "In their recent Commentary column "It's time to make tough choices," Sens. Mark R. Warner and Saxby Chambliss explained how they "have been working in a bipartisan partnership to" deal with deficits and the debt. In another area that cries out for bipartisan action, Warner and Chambliss could also convince their colleagues to heed bipartisan calls to solve the judicial vacancy crisis. During Barack Obama's presidency, federal judicial vacancies have almost doubled to 95, including 42 judicial emergencies designated by the U.S. Courts. Last year, Chambliss wrote: "I continue to believe that the Senate should act without undue delay in the prompt consideration of judicial nominees." Meanwhile, Warner coordinated speeches from many senators on the need to allow up or down floor votes on nominees for empty judgeships. Justice delayed is justice denied, as vacancies increasingly create logjams. Based upon their records, Warner and Chambliss could make a difference."

Slain judge supported 9th Circuit split (Washington Briefs, 03/16/11)
UPDATE: Glenn Sugameli, who tracks judiciary issues for Defenders of Wildlife, takes issue with Roll’s conclusions. “Judge Roll was not politically motivated,” he said in an email. “In fact, however, while not everyone supporting a split was ‘simply politically motivated’ [as Roll described it elsewhere in his article] and some who were would not admit it - the political power behind attempts to split the 9th Circuit has always come from industry and politicians who were simply politically motivated.” More on Sugameli’s work can be seen here.

Keep judicial nominations moving (Vindicator [Youngstown, OH], 03/02/11)
Glenn Sugameli Letter to the Editor: "Ohio’s Senators could play a vital role in responding to nonpartisan calls to solve the judicial vacancy crisis. Newly-elected Republican Senator Rob Portman took the first step in joining with Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in approving a Senate ban on unexplained secret holds that blocked and delayed many consensus nominees. Senate floor votes are required to fill more than 100 federal judicial vacancies, almost double the number when Obama took office. Especially in areas affected by 47 vacancies the U.S. Courts have declared to be emergencies, justice delayed is justice denied."

Sugameli: Filling vacant judgeships (MetroWest Daily News [MA], 02/16/11)
"Justice delayed is truly justice denied, as people increasingly face massive court backlogs. Indeed, the U.S. Courts determined 44 current vacancies to be emergencies, and there are widespread nonpartisan calls to solve the judicial vacancy crisis. Sen. Scott Brown recently joined with Sen. John Kerry in confirming Denise Casper to the federal district court for Massachusetts, and in approving a ban on unexplained secret holds that blocked many nominees. Together, the Massachusetts' bipartisan U.S. Senate delegation could help ensure that nominees to fill judgeships receive timely Floor votes." Glenn Sugameli Letter to the Editor

SENATE: Enviro groups urge action on judicial confirmations  (Environment & Energy (E & E) Daily, 02/15/11)
Glenn Sugameli, who tracks judicial nominations for Defenders of Wildlife, said filling judicial vacancies is important to environmental groups because "people and endangered wildlife suffer and die when corporations illegally continue to pollute and destroy the environment for years because of the massive court backlogs caused by empty judgeships."

A test of the Senate (Times Record [ME], 02/08/11)
Glenn Sugameli Letter to the Editor: "partisan obstruction reduced confirmations of President Obama’s trial and appeals court judges to 60. In contrast, a Democratic Senate confirmed 100 in President George W. Bush’s first two years. Last year, floor votes were even denied to 16 judicial nominees whom the Judiciary Committee had approved on unanimous or bipartisan votes. Court cases face massive delays as federal judicial vacancies have soared to more than 100, including 49 judicial emergencies designated by the U.S. Courts. Bipartisan calls to solve the judicial vacancy crisis pose a clear test of whether the Senate can still function."

Prompt votes on judges  (Bucks County Courier Times [PA], 01/24/11)
Glenn Sugameli, Letter to the Editor: "Those denied floor votes included 13 who were approved without dissent by Judiciary Committee members and an equal number who would have filled judicial emergencies designated by the U.S. Courts. New Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., recognizes that "there have been too many vacancies, and several of them have lasted for way too long." He could play a key role by insisting on prompt floor votes on these and other nominees to fill judgeships."

Tenn. senators could help reduce huge court backlogs (Daily Herald [Columbia, TN], 01/20/11)
Glenn Sugameli Letter to the Editor: "Those denied floor votes included 16 who had bipartisan support in the Judiciary Committee and 13 who would have filled judicial emergencies designated by the U.S. Courts. Tennessee’s Republican senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker supported home-state nominee Jane Branstetter Stranch’s confirmation to the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in September 2010. Indeed, Sen. Alexander previously urged that a long-delayed vote be held on Stranch, explaining that “It has long been my position … that a president’s judicial nominees deserve an up-or-down vote.” Both senators could help reduce massive court backlogs by insisting that the Senate schedule prompt floor votes on committee-approved judicial nominees."

Coburn's promise (Tulsa World [OK], 01/17/11)
"Unfortunately, even if consensus federal judicial nominees emerge soon, floor votes could well be delayed indefinitely or blocked outright. President Obama just resubmitted 19 judicial nominees whose floor votes were blocked by Senate Republicans. Thirteen of these had been approved by Oklahoma Republican Sen. Tom Coburn and other Judiciary Committee members without dissent. An equal number would have filled judicial emergencies designated by the U.S. courts. Chief Justice John Roberts' year-end report calls for urgent action to remedy the problem of vacant federal judgeships. Vacancies have risen to almost 100, nearly one half of which are emergencies. Coburn could make a difference by simply fulfilling his 2005 vow that: "I will continue to insist that the judicial nominations from any president - Republican or Democrat - receive the courtesy of an up-or-down vote."" Glenn Sugameli, Letter to the Editor

Judicial vacancies can lead to justice denied (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette [PA], 01/04/11)
Glenn Sugameli Letter to the Editor: "Despite the crisis that was created by more than 100 judicial vacancies, Senate Republicans blocked floor votes on 19 nominees. These included 13 whom the Judiciary Committee approved unanimously and an equal number who would fill judgeships that the U.S. courts have designated as judicial emergencies. Sen.-elect Pat Toomey, R-Pa., recognizes that "there have been too many vacancies, and several of them have lasted for way too long." Confirming judges can reduce the increasingly common problem of justice delayed becoming justice denied as memories fade and witnesses and parties pass away."

The Cooler (South Florida Daily Blog, 01/03/11)
"here's what caught my eye. ...[Miami] Herald: They write letters. What they didn't do [reproduces Glenn Sugameli Letter to the Editor]

Senate Agreement Ends Action on Four Contentious Judicial Nominations (Congressional Quarterly, 12/20/10)
“Obviously, the Senate is not going to be better next year,” said Glenn Sugameli, staff attorney for the Defenders of Wildlife’s Judging the Environment Project. “They should have pushed harder earlier. There’s no reason there shouldn’t have been earlier action on these nominees.”

Forum: Give all judicial nominees a vote (Journal Star [Peoria, IL], 12/15/10)
Glenn Sugameli: "nearly all - seven of eight - of the nominees with one or more "no" votes in committee are women, people of color, or both. Fairness and efforts to add diversity to the overwhelmingly white male federal bench argue for Senate lame-duck votes on all nominees. For example, supporters of Goodwin Liu's nomination to fill a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals emergency vacancy include prominent conservative Republicans such as Kenneth Starr and Clint Bolick. President George W. Bush's White House ethics counsel, Richard Painter, explained that Liu "should not be controversial." Seven active Republican-appointed judges signed a recent 9th Circuit Judicial Council letter that cited "our desperate need for judges" and urged the Senate to fill the vacancies "promptly.""

Unfair delays for federal judges (Herald Sun [NC] , 12/11/10)
" There are now 38 judicial nominees awaiting floor votes. All are supported by their home-state Republican and Democratic senators, and 29 unanimously cleared the Judiciary Committee. Almost all (7 of 9) nominees with one or more committee "no" votes are women, people of color, or both. Fairness and unprecedented numbers of judicial vacancies argue for immediate Senate votes on all nominees." Glenn Sugameli, published Letter to the Editor

ACS Weekly Bulletin  (American Constitution Society Blog, 12/03/10)
"[T]he graph "shows a disappointing lack of major progress in the percentage of female federal judges in recent years," according to Glenn Sugameli, founder and head of the environmental community's Judging the Environment project on federal judicial nominations. Sugameli told ACSblog that President Obama's 43 confirmed judicial nominees include 22 women and 17 men and women of color, but that every nominee blocked by Senate obstruction is preventing further diversification on the federal bench."

Male Judges Far Outnumber Women Judges, Federal Court Graph Shows  (American Constitution Society Blog, 11/30/10)
Glenn Sugameli, founder and head of the environmental community's Judging the Environment project and website on federal judicial nominations, told ACSblog, "The U.S. Courts' Federal Bench Gender Snapshot shows a disappointing lack of major progress in the percentage of female federal judges in recent years." Sugameli continued, "President Obama's 43 confirmed judicial nominees include 22 women and 17 men and women of color. Senate Republican obstruction of every pending judicial nominee, however, is blocking votes that would increase the diversity of the federal bench. Ten of the 23 nominees awaiting Floor votes are women and 13 are men and women of color."

Fill judicial vacancies (Deseret News [UT] , 11/24/10)
Glenn Sugameli published Letter to the Editor: "Bizarrely, however, Senate Republican "holds" have even blocked Utah's Scott Matheson Jr. and other consensus nominees who have strong support from home-state Republican senators. In early June, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved Matheson's 10th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals nomination without dissent, and Sen. Orrin Hatch promised to "do everything in my power to get him through as soon as I can." Since then, judicial vacancies have soared to over 100, including 50 judicial emergencies, and current and retired Republican-appointed federal judges have urged the Senate to stop delaying and act now on all the pending nominees."

ACS Nov. 19, 2010 Weekly Bulletin (American Constitution Society Blog, 11/19/10)
"ACS member Glenn Sugameli, a staff attorney at Defenders of Wildlife, was featured in an article in TPM about why 2011 will be a good time for the Senate to focus on judicial confirmations."

ACS Weekly Bulletin Special Issue: ACS Priority Issues: A Year in Review (American Constitution Society Blog, 11/17/10)
Guest blogs: Glenn Sugameli, a staff attorney at Defenders of Wildlife's Judging the Environment, describes the deepening federal judicial vacancy crisis. (9/30)

Silver Lining: Why Dems' Big Loss Could Pave The Way For Obama Nominees (Talking Points Memo, 11/15/10)
Brian Beutler: "Reid should concentrate Floor time on must pass bills, message and other votes that highlight differences and important matters that are or should be non-controversial, including confirming lifetime federal judges," Glenn Sugameli, an advocate for swift judicial confirmations, tells TPM. "All of Obama's nominees to circuit and district courts have had the support of their home-state Republican and Democratic senators and the vast majority have been non-controversial nominees who have been approved by the Judiciary Committee without objection and approved unanimously when they finally receive usually long-delayed Floor votes." "If one or more Republican senators force cloture votes on consensus nominees, they will accurately be seen as mindlessly obstructionist," Sugameli says. If they do not, nominees will be confirmed quickly."

A silver lining on judicial confirmations? (Charleston Gazette [WV] , 11/15/10)
Discusses Brian Beutler's Talking Points Memo analysis and includes excerpts quoting Glenn Sugameli

Nomination Fights To Come (Yglesias, 11/15/10)
"[I]t would now make sense to dedicate much more Senate floor time to nominations. Brian Beutler reports that advocates are making the case: [reproduces portion of Beutler analysis quoting Glenn Sugameli]"

Judicial Diversity (Courier-Journal [KY] , 11/11/10)
Glenn Sugameli published Reader Letter: "one key result of this obstruction by Republican senators; it has unjustifiably prolonged the overwhelmingly white male makeup of the federal bench. The Senate's lame duck session can and should make a difference. The 23 nominees awaiting floor votes include 10 women, nine of whom the Judiciary Committee approved without dissent. President Obama's judicial selection has begun to diversify the federal bench; there are 22 women among his 43 confirmed nominees. In addition, 17 Obama judges are people of color, and another 13 are awaiting floor votes."

LAW: Election likely to affect EPA litigation, judicial nominations  (New York Times, 11/04/10)
Glenn Sugameli, who tracks judicial nominees from an environmental perspective for Defenders of Wildlife, said the onus is on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to push through pending nominations during the lame-duck session this month. After the lame duck, Sugameli predicted that public dissatisfaction with Congress would "increase pressure for Senate Republicans to get things done, especially as judicial vacancies have soared to over 100."

Judgeships lie vacant as Senate Republicans stall confirmations (Daily Princetonian [Princeton University, NJ], 10/19/10)
"[F]ederal court access has suffered as holds placed on candidates caused vacancies to soar. The number of vacant judgeships that U.S. courts have declared “judicial emergencies” has risen to 49, from 20." Glenn Sugameli '76, published Letter to the Editor

Federal Judicial Vacancy Crisis Deepens as Unnamed Senate Republicans Block Floor Votes on All 23 Pending Judicial Nominees (American Constitution Society Blog, 09/30/10)
Glenn Sugameli Guest Post: "nominees remain frozen, however, despite announced support from Republican home-state senators who are unable to convince their colleagues to allow a vote (or are unwilling to follow Sen. Alexander's successful example). These include Utah Sens. Orrin Hatch and Robert Bennett (10th Circuit nominee Scott Matheson, Jr.); Arizona Sens. Jon Kyl and John McCain (9th Circuit nominee Mary Murguia); Mississippi Sens. Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker (district court nominee Carlton Reeves); and North Carolina's Richard Burr (4th Circuit nominee Albert Diaz and district court nominee Catherine Eagles)."

Blaming Obama for lack of judges 'absurd' (Daily Progress [Charlottesville, VA], 09/12/10)
"Federal court access has suffered as vacancies have soared to more than 100. Frozen nominees include John A. Gibney Jr. (Virginia district court) and Albert Diaz (4th Circuit Court of Appeals, which includes Virginia). Both were OK’d in committee without dissent months ago for vacancies that the U.S. courts have declared “judicial emergencies,” emergencies that have risen from 20 to 49." [Glenn Sugameli, Letter to the Editor]

Obama nominees blocked (San Francisco Chronicle [CA], 09/09/10)
"Senate Republicans continue unprecedented across-the-board denials of floor votes to more than 20 judicial nominees, including California and other nominees whom the Judiciary Committee approved without dissent months ago." {Glenn Sugameli, Letter to the Editor)

GOP stonewalling president's worthy judicial nominees (Republican-American [CT] , 09/03/10)
"First, it only takes one senator to deny a vote on a judicial nomination or to force a nomination's return to the White House. as happened with Judge Chatigny. Because holds can be secret, all we know is one or more Republicans refused the unanimous consent required for an up-and-down floor vote. Second, Senate Republicans continue unprecedented across-the-board blockages, regardless of the merits, of judicial nominees." Glenn Sugameli, Letter to the Editor

GOP blockage (Wichita Eagle [KS] , 08/31/10)
"Senate Republicans continue unprecedented across-the-board blockages, regardless of the merits, of judicial nominees. They will not allow the Senate to vote on more than 20 judicial nominees who were approved in committee, including many endorsed without dissent months ago. Federal judicial vacancies have risen to more than 100." [Glenn Sugameli. Letter to the Editor]

Newest justice appeals to greenies; Green groups give Kagan OK (Chico News & Review [CA], 08/26/10)
"Dozens of environmental groups signed a letter recently applauding the Senate’s 63-37 vote to appoint Solicitor General Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court,"

Environment: How 'Green' Is Justice Kagan? (Forbes, 08/11/10)
"45 environmental groups signed a letter last week [link] in support of her nomination."

A Friend of the Earth Joins the Supreme Court (Earth Connection, 08/10/10)
"More than 40 national environmental organizations actively supported President Obama’s appointment of Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court. In a letter to Senators prior to last Thursday’s Senate approval of Kagan’s confirmation, the groups cited her “understanding of the importance of fair Court decisions that uphold, enforce, and correctly interpret laws that protect people, wildlife, and the environment.”"

GOP Obstructionism Continues to Plague Obama's Judicial Nominees (MyDD, 08/07/10)
Includes quote from "Glenn Sugameli, a lawyer for Defenders of Wildlife.:

Judge nominees must wait as Senate adjourns (Charleston Gazette [WV] , 08/07/10)
Re-print of Los Angeles Times article, quoting Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli.

Environmental Groups Smile on Kagan's Ascension to Supreme Court (Environment News Service, 08/06/10)
"A letter signed by 45 groups and sent to the senators on Tuesday says, "Kagan is extremely well qualified to serve on the Supreme Court and we endorse her nomination without qualification." The groups that signed the letter include some of the country's largest and most influential organizations such as the League of Conservation Voters, Earthjustice, the Wilderness Society, the Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife, Audubon, the National Hispanic Environmental Council and Greenpeace USA. Regional conservation groups are also represented."

2 federal judge nominees dealt setback as Senate adjourns (Sacramento Bee [CA] , 08/06/10)
Quotes Glenn Sugameli

Comment on Kagan Whip Count: NY State Of Mind (National Journal, 08/02/10)
"Please add Sen. Mark Warner to YES VOTES Sen. Mark Warner's website includes a July 30th Statement " -Glenn Sugameli, Judging the Environment

LATEST: Collins is a "Yes" (National Journal, 07/23/10)
Glenn Sugameli Vote Count update

SUPREME COURT: Graham joins Democrats as Judiciary panel approves Kagan (Greenwire, 07/20/10)
"35 environmental organizations ... backed her in a letter sent yesterday to Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), the committee's ranking member. ..."The court is narrowly and deeply split on critical constitutional and statutory environmental protection issues," says the letter, which was written and circulated by Defenders of Wildlife. "Kagan's record and her Supreme Court confirmation hearing testimony demonstrate an essential understanding of the importance of fair Court decisions that uphold, enforce and correctly interpret laws that protect people, wildlife, and the environment.""

UPDATES to Kagan Whip Count: Specter A Yes (National Journal, 07/15/10)
"Four more Yes and one No All links to Kagan Senator Statements are on my website Judging the Environment (one word dot org) Hotline Whip Count still needs to add four YES Feinstein (statement on her website); Dorgan (statement on Senatus); Landrieu (Politico interview); Stabenow (statement on her website) and one No Chambliss (statement on his website)" -Glenn Sugameli. Judging the Environment

UPDATE to Hotline Whip Count: The Kagan Nomination (National Journal, 07/13/10)
"Yet another July 13 YES vote from a Senator's website's press release: "Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley announced his intention to vote to confirm United States Solicitor General Elena Kagan as the next Associate Justice of the Supreme Court."" -Glenn Sugameli, Judging the Environment

UPDATE to Hotline Whip Count: The Kagan Nomination (National Journal, 07/13/10)
"Time for another update: Sen. Dianne Feinstein July 13 statement: "“I intend to vote YES on the nomination of Elena Kagan."" -Glenn Sugameli, Judging the Environment

Update to Hotline Whip Count: The Kagan Nomination (National Journal, 07/13/10)
"Please add Sen. Durbin to Hotline's Count of Yes votes; he concluded a July 12 Floor speech "I will be proud to cast a vote in favor of the nomination of Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court." Also, Sen. Cardin's July 11 Op-Ed concluded "I believe Elena Kagan possesses the qualifications and judicial temperament to be a member of the Supreme Court."" -Glenn Sugameli, Judging the Environment

Guess Who's Opposing Kagan? Endangered Republican Incumbents (Talking Points Memo, 07/08/10)
Links to Judging the Environment's website compilation of Senator Statement: as a "site detailing senators' statements on Kagan."

SUPREME COURT: After week of hearings, Kagan seen as taking Stevens' place on enviro cases (Environment & Energy (E & E) Daily, 07/02/10)
"Kagan encouragingly emphasized the role of Congress in defining within broad limits who should have standing to enforce the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act and other laws," said Glenn Sugameli, a staff attorney at Defenders of Wildlife, who leads the advocacy group's Judging the Environment project.

Secret Holds Continue to Block Non-Controversial Federal Judicial Nominees (Legal Times, 06/22/10)
Posted comment by Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli on "Senate Confirms a Herd of Nominees": "What does not happen can be vital, as in Sherlock Holmes’ dog that did not bark. The most telling thing about the Senate agreement to confirm 60 nominees today is the fact that it did not include any nominees to fill 100 federal appellate and district court vacancies. (US Courts website). What is unprecedented is that many judicial nominees who were unanimously approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee long ago are still being blocked by secret holds. For more information, my Judging the Environment website has thousands of links to Senator statements, editorials, and more on Supreme Court and other federal judicial nominations and related issues such as access to courts. "

Secret Holds Block Non-Controversial Federal Judicial Nominees (A plain blog about politics, 06/22/10)
Posted comment by Judging the Enviroment's Glenn Sugameli on "Logjam Eased": "Thanks for the timely posting. Unfortunately, however, today’s Senate deal did not, as you report, fill “three vacancies on the DC Circuit.” The Senatus blog list that you link to only includes three judges for the local court--the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. What does not happen can be vital, as in Sherlock Holmes’ dog that did not bark. The most telling thing about the Senate agreement to confirm 60 nominees today is the fact that it did not include any nominees to fill lifetime seats on the U.S Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit or any of the100 federal appellate and district court vacancies. (US Courts website). The three federal district judges that you note were confirmed yesterday hardly made a dent. What is unprecedented is that many judicial nominees who were unanimously approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee long ago are still being blocked by secret holds. My Judging the Environment website has thousands of links to Senator statements, editorials, and more on Supreme Court and other federal judicial nominations and related issues such as access to courts."

Understanding Issues in Takings Cases Critical for Federal Circuit Judges (Daily Journal [CA] , 06/08/10)
Published Letter to the Editor from Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli: ""Seat Opens on Patent Appeals Court" (June 2) presented an incomplete picture by describing the creation of "another opening on the nation's top patent appeals court for President Barack Obama to fill." . . .It is critical that Federal Circuit judges understand the very complex set of issues involved in takings cases. Indeed, the court does not only set federal precedents; state courts across the country heavily rely upon rulings by the "takings court."

Republicans for Goodwin: Ford Cabinet Secretary William Coleman Speaks Out  (Confirm Goodwin Liu blog, 05/13/10)
Jonathan Singer: Add another major name to the list of leading Republicans backing the nomination of Goodwin Liu: William T. Coleman, Jr.. Coleman has been one of the most outstanding attorneys and public servants in post-WWII America, breaking ground as the first African-American law clerk on the Supreme Court, working together with Thurgood Marshall on Brown v. Board of Education, and serving as Transportation Secretary to Gerald Ford. In 1995, President Bill Clinton awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Late last month, Coleman penned a letter (.pdf), available through JudgingTheEnvironment.org, to the Judiciary Committee

Supreme Court Nominee Elena Kagan Helped Found Harvard Environment Clinic (BNA, 05/11/10)
Daily Environment Report extensively quotes Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli

Obama Nominates Solicitor General Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court (Environment News Service, 05/10/10)
Glenn Sugameli, founder and head of the environmental community's Judging the Environment project, said, "We welcome President Obama's Supreme Court nomination of Elena Kagan, whose record shows an essential understanding of the importance of upholding and enforcing laws that protect people, wildlife and the environment." "While she was dean of Harvard Law School, Kagan made environmental law a top priority," said Sugameli. "She helped found the Environmental Law Program, and, in one of her most prominent hires, recruited prominent environmental scholar Jody Freeman to lead the program. Kagan also started an Environmental Law and Policy Clinic where students provide vital assistance on cases and policy." "It is critical that Justice Stevens' successor be fair-minded and experienced and understand why environmental laws were written," Sugameli said.

Judging the Environment [Statement on Elena Kagan nomination] (SCOTUSBlog, 05/10/10)
"The following statement is from Glenn Sugameli, who founded in 2001 and still heads the environmental community’s Judging the Environment project and website on federal judicial nominations and related issues: * * *"

More Reaction to Kagan Nomination (Legal Times, 05/10/10)
Glenn Sugameli, staff attorney, Defenders of Wildlife “We welcome President Obama’s Supreme Court nomination of Elena Kagan, whose record shows an essential understanding of the importance of upholding and enforcing laws that protect people, wildlife and the environment. While she was dean of Harvard Law School, Kagan made environmental law a top priority. She helped found the Environmental Law Program, and in one of her most prominent hires, recruited prominent environmental scholar Jody Freeman to lead the program. Kagan also started an Environmental Law & Policy Clinic where students provide vital assistance on cases and policy. It is critical that Justice Stevens’ successor be fair-minded and experienced and understand why environmental laws were written.”

Elena Kagan, climate realist  (Grist, 05/10/10)
"She has an in-depth knowledge of the nuts and bolts of how issues work in the real world," said Glenn Sugameli, an attorney at Defenders of Wildlife and founder of Judging the Environment, which monitors federal courts. "That's important because, if you look at the current court, they're almost all lifetime ‘judicial monastery' types. They're so used to looking at things from a judge's standpoint that they don't really understand them."

The Supreme Court’s Activist, Pro-Corporate Opinions and Case Selection  (American Constitution Society Blog, 04/26/10)
Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli Guest Post: "understanding how the activist Court has undermined laws that protect ordinary Americans requires that attention must be paid to one-sided decisions whether or not to review environmental and other cases."

Earth Day Highlights Importance of Judicial Nominations, Lawmakers and Advocates Say  (American Constitution Society Blog, 04/22/10)
"Federal courts decide the fate of lawsuits that attack safeguards for clean air, clean water, endangered species, and special natural places," Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli recently wrote at ACSblog. "Judges must uphold anti-pollution and conservation laws against unjustifiable claims that their enactment exceeded Congress' Commerce Clause authority, and that they take away non-existent 'property rights' to pollute." "Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens's retirement highlights just how much Americans rely on fair and independent judges to uphold and enforce laws that protect people and our environment," Sugameli concludes. EPA administrator Lisa P. Jackson echoed Sugameli's sentiments today.

Jesse Choper's Comprehensive Defense of Goodwin Liu  (Confirm Goodwin Liu blog, 04/14/10)
"JudgingtheEnvironment.org, a repository for all things related to judicial nominations, recently posted a letter (.pdf) sent by eminent constitutional scholar Jesse Choper, a colleague of Goodwin Liu's (and a former professor of mine) at Berkeley Law, to the top members of the Senate Judiciary Committee."

Environmental Protections Require Fair Independent Replacement for Stevens  (American Constitution Society Blog, 04/13/10)
Guest Blog by Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli

Roundup: Lawmakers And Activists On Stevens (National Journal, 04/09/10)
Glenn Sugameli, founder of the Judging the Environment project, wrote that Stevens "has a lengthy, very distinguished, and lasting legacy of upholding laws that safeguard our environment. President Obama's selection of a new justice will help determine the fate of basic environmental safeguards for decades to come."

SUPREME COURT: Stevens to retire at term's end  (Greenwire, 04/09/10)
Environmental groups consider Stevens a fairly reliable vote in their favor, said Glenn Sugameli, a federal courts expert and staff attorney at Defenders of Wildlife...."Stevens has a lengthy, very distinguished and lasting legacy of upholding laws that safeguard our environment," Sugameli said. "President Obama's selection of a new justice will help determine the fate of basic environmental safeguards for decades to come."

Re: Dick Morris: Obama's Chicago-style tactics (Orange County Register [CA] , 04/05/10)
"I am still awaiting the author and newspaper apologies and corrections for the outrageous claim in Richard “Morris: Obama's Chicago-style tactics” (Mar. 9) that President Obama “offers bribes. Rep. Jim Matheson, endangered species -- a Utah Democrat -- succeeded in getting his brother Scott appointed to a federal judgeship.” Glenn Sugameli posted Comment on Dick Morris column

SUPREME COURT: Stevens to decide on retirement next month  (Greenwire, 03/16/10)
While environmental groups would lose one of their most reliable supporters, said Glenn Sugameli, a staff attorney at Defenders of Wildlife, they will also lose a justice with "intangibles" -- including a relatively strong rapport with key swing vote Justice Anthony Kennedy. Kennedy joined the majority in Massachusetts v. EPA, which provided the legal basis for EPA's emerging effort to curb emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. "Any change on the Supreme Court could help decide the fate of environmental laws for decades to come. The court is very closely split, 5-4, on a number of major environmental issues," Sugameli said. "A new nominee will obviously be much younger and will likely be around to decide issues that nobody's really even thought of yet."

RE: The Long Reach Of Hurricane Katrina (Legal Profession Blog, 03/11/10)
Glenn Sugameli [Judging the Environment] posted Comment on failed 4th Circuit Pres. GW Bush nominee Claude Allen

Re: Whip Count (No. 14 in a Series) – One Blue Dog Barks No, Another Stays Silent  (ABC News, 03/10/10)
Posted Comment by Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli: "ABC News aptly notes that "Matheson has been the subject of much evidence-free speculation by conservative media about alleged -- and unproven -- vote-buying" and that "Significantly, both of Utah’s Republican senators have stated that Scott Matheson’s judgeship has been in the works for a long time and is not part of any quid pro quo." The conservative media conspiratorial fantasy has also been debunked by The Salt Lake Tribune (which “laughed the … suggestion off the table”), the right-wing Power Line blog, and Paul Cassell, a very conservative former U.S. District Judge appointed by President George W. Bush."

Re: Discipline Board Recommends One-Year Suspension for Former White House Aide  (Legal Times, 03/10/10)
Glenn Sugameli: "As reflected in its title, "Discipline Board Recommends One-Year Suspension for Former White House Aide," the BLT's commendable posting omits one key fact. Even more remarkable in this context than Claude Allen's theft by fraud while he served in President George W. Bush's White House, is Bush's previous nomination of Allen to a lifetime seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. To understand how Claude Allen was part of a pattern of failed Bush judicial nominees with severe, objective problems, see the Feb. 29, 2008 ACSBlog, "Guest Blogger Glenn Sugameli: Bush Judicial Nominees- Torture, Alice in Wonderland, Shoplifting, Ethics and more" or my www.judgingtheenvironment.org website."

Malkin only one to see conspiracy in nomination (Examiner, 03/09/10)
Published Letter to the Editor from Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli: "Michelle Malkin spreads a smear and blames the victims as she details unfounded suggestions that Scott Matheson’s announced appellate court nomination was somehow tied to a potential health care vote by his brother, Rep. Jim Matheson (D-Utah). Utah Republican Senators Orrin Hatch and Bob Bennett both debunked this conspiratorial fantasy. The Salt Lake Tribune "laughed the ... suggestion off the table."... She also erroneously claims that "there was no action" for nearly a year while this judgeship was vacant. But every judicial nominee selection triggers months of FBI and American Bar Association vetting before a public announcement."

Re: Jay Evensen's perspectives on the news: Health care hardball  (Deseret News [UT] , 03/08/10)
Posted comment by Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli: "Given the facts discrediting this smear, Jay Evensen's "I don't believe the Scott M. Matheson Jr. appointment was a quid pro quo" conclusion is too weak. Senators Orrin Hatch and Bob Bennett debunked this conspiratorial fantasy. The Salt Lake Tribune “laughed the … suggestion off the table.” "

Update to Webb, Warner urge confirmation of 4th Circuit nominee (Washington Post, 02/27/10)
Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli: "UPDATE: Incredibly, next Tuesday vote on Judge Keenan's nomination is not an up-and-down vote. Unexplained GOP Senate opposition has forced a scheduled cloture (anti-filibuster) vote to cut off debate, even though the Judiciary Committee approved Judge Keenan by a unanimous voice vote back in October. When Senators Jim Webb and Mark Warner urged a vote on the merits this week, they explained that Republican Governor McDonnell specifically requested that Justice Keenan deliver him the oath of office. Continuing across-the-board obstruction of President Obama’s consensus judicial nominees has caused federal court vacancies to exceed 100. Unless one or more Senators publicly explain the delay of Keenan, it will be obvious that this is just the latest example of mindless GOP Senate partisanship."

Supreme Court Denies 3 High-Profile Environmental Cases  (Greenwire, 02/23/10)
The Supreme Court's decision to pass on the case leaves the Federal Circuit's decision as the precedent for future takings cases involving federal agencies. Because that court is the destination for nearly all appeals on federal claims cases, the ruling carries substantial weight, said Glenn Sugameli, a staff attorney with Defenders of Wildlife. "A decision at that level is normally final right now, absent Supreme Court review," Sugameli said. If the Supreme Court had stepped in and sided with Rose Acre Farms on the takings claim, he added, "you could end up with all levels of government always erring on the side of not protecting public health."

"Judicial Nominations in the First Year of the Obama Administration" Panel, National Press Club (American Constitution Society Blog, 01/28/10)
Statement & Question from Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli at pp. 45-46 of Transcript

Latest on Citizens United v. FEC  (American Constitution Society Blog, 01/26/10)
"Judging the Environment is collecting scores of op-eds from across the country here. [LINK]"

Letters to the Editor: Not All Senators Display Hypocrisy (Richmond Times-Dispatch [VA], 12/02/09)
Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli- published letter: Your editorials, "Flipping Out" and "Do Unto," unjustly included blanket condemnation of "the Senate's Republicans and Democrats" for hypocritically flip-flopping on filibusters of judicial nominees, and missed the ultimate irony displayed by some senators. Ten Republican senators from across the political spectrum consistently voted to end a filibuster against Judge David Hamilton's nomination to a federal appeals court. It is also not hypocritical for Democrats who supported specific filibusters to oppose one against Hamilton, who was selected with the strong approval of his home-state senators, including Richard Lugar, the senior Republican in the Senate. "Do Unto" recognizes that in 2005, "The GOP . . . asserted that filibusters of nominations implicitly violated the Constitution." For example, Sen. James Inhofe declared that such filibusters are "contrary to our oath to support and defend the Constitution." The missing irony is the latest explanation by Inhofe and other senators: They opposed Hamilton because they feared he might change the Constitution, but by filibustering him these senators violated what they insisted the Constitution requires.

This Week in Judicial Nominations  (American Constitution Society Blog, 11/16/09)
Flurry of news stories- (H/T: Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli.)

Mounting Challenges to Judicial Nominations  (American Constitution Society Blog, 11/02/09)
"Hat Tip" credit: "(H/T: Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli.)"

Judicial Nominee Under Attack (Daily Journal [CA] , 10/28/09)
Quotes Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli on blocked Obama judicial nominees "It seems to me that they're being used as pawns in a bigger game,"

Court Majority Rejected Justice O'Connor's 'Takings' Analysis in Eastern Enterprises (Daily Journal [CA] , 10/12/09)
Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli's published Letter to the Editor: Op-Ed "is fatally flawed by reliance on property rights 'takings' analysis in a non-existent 'majority opinion, written by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor . . . . Both O'Connor's analysis and finding of a taking were rejected by a majority of the Court: the four Justices who disagreed with the result in the case and Justice Kennedy, who was the only Justice to find a due process violation. Since then, courts have ruled against Eastern Enterprises takings/ due process challenges to a wide range of laws."

SUPREME COURT: 3 enviro, energy cases on docket as fall term begins  (Greenwire, 10/05/09)
In depth article extensively quotes Defenders of Wildlife's Glenn Sugameli.

SUPREME COURT: Senate confirms Sotomayor, 68-31  (Environment & Energy (E & E) Daily, 08/06/09)
Sotomayor has received near-unanimous support from national, regional and local environmental groups .... "Environmental cases have gained significant importance in the Supreme Court in the last few years," said Earthjustice President Trip Van Noppen in a statement released after the vote. "During her confirmation hearings, Senators routinely questioned Judge Sotomayor on her perspective on the Clean Water Act and other environmental laws. It is obvious that environmental issues are receiving much more play and will continue to be major Supreme Court issues in the years to come. It is clear that smart and fair judges are essential to safeguarding our nation's environment and the public health."

The Supreme Court and the Environment: Who Did They Really Help? (Becker's Environmental Law Update, 07/27/09)
Chuck Becker: "Glenn Sugameli, an attorney with the environmental group Earth Justice, went so far as to say that he believes that the Court put on “pro-business blinders.”"

Sotomayor Defends Opposition to Cost-Benefit Analysis in Fish Kill Case (OMB Watch, 07/16/09)
More than 60 environmental groups signed a letter to the Senate supporting Sotomayor. They said her decision in the fish kill case “reflects well-researched, thorough, and thoughtful legal analysis that probes the statute, its context, legislative history, and judicial precedent to discern and remain true to congressional intent.”

SUPREME COURT: Sotomayor questioned about upholding environmental protections (Environment & Energy (E & E) Daily, 07/15/09)
"Sotomayor's emphasis on paying particular attention to congressional findings was reassuring, as was her stress on deference to Congress in this context and in responding to Senator Cardin's concerns with Supreme Court decisions that he recognized have undermined the Clean Water Act," said Glenn Sugameli, senior counsel for Earthjustice.

Sotomayor's Record on Enviro Issues Faces Scrutiny as Hearings Begin  (New York Times, 07/13/09)
As the Supreme Court has taken an increasing interest in environmental-themed cases, advocacy and legal interest groups have come to view the nomination with new significance, said Glenn Sugameli, senior counsel for Earthjustice."

Get Behind Supreme Court Nominee Sotomayor—60 Green Groups Already Have Yes, she's a strong, Hispanic woman—and she's green, too. (planet green, 07/10/09)
"60 of the nation's top environmental and conservation groups, including EarthJustice, the Sierra Club, Greenpeace, and the National Wildlife Federation, have drafted a letter voicing their support for Sotomayor.... The groups have written their endorsement because they've surveyed her judicial record and found that she's fair, measured, and thorough in her decisions."

60 Environmental Groups Support Sotomayor for Supreme Court  (Environment News Service, 07/09/09)
"Our support for President Obama's nomination of Judge Sotomayor continues," said Trip Van Noppen, president of the nonprofit environmental law firm Earthjustice. "We are pleased that so many environmental groups agree." ... The letter was signed by some of the largest groups in the United States, including the League of Conservation Voters, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace USA, the National Audubon Society, the Sierra Club, the National Wildlife Federation and The Wilderness Society. In total, they represent millions of members. ...

Factcheck on NY Post column "Green Justice: Sotomayor's Enviro-Activism" (New York Post, 06/26/09)
Comment by Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli

What They're Saying About Judge Sotomayor  (Imperial Valley News, 06/19/09)
Reprints White House Statement quoting Glenn Sugameli

White House Press Release: What They're Saying About Judge Sotomayor  (The White House, 06/19/09)
Earthjustice Said Sotomayor Possessed "Some Of The Strongest Qualifications Of Any Supreme Court Nominee In Many Years," Praised "Invaluable Perspectives" In Environmental Law. "The following statement is from Glenn Sugameli, senior legislative counsel and head of Earthjustice’s judicial nominations project since 2001: "Earthjustice welcomes President Obama’s Supreme Court nomination of Second Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Sonia Sotomayor, who has some of the strongest qualifications of any Supreme Court nominee in many years, including the most federal judicial experience in 100 years. Judge Sotomayor is well qualified in light of her personal, academic, legal, and judicial experience . Her knowledge, understanding and service as a federal trial and appellate court judge provide invaluable perspectives for deciding environmental protection and related issues, as reflected in her 80-page Riverkeeper v. EPA opinion." [Earthjustice Press Release, 5/26/09]

Sotomayor: 'Straight shooter': Analysts say they detect no bias on environmental rulings (Capital Press, 06/18/09)
Quotes Earthjustice

Letter: Sotomayor 'well-qualified' to sit on Supreme Court (TCPalm.com, 06/05/09)
Published letter from Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli on Judge Sotomayor's qualifications for the Supreme Court.

Nominee Looks Moderate on Environment (Daily Journal [CA] , 05/29/09)
"For environmentalists, the main source of their approval is the Riverkeeper opinion. It's 'a good indication of her careful attention and understanding of the environmental statutes,' said Glenn Sugameli, the senior judicial counsel at Earthjustice"

Judge Sonia Sotomayor: an environmental pragmatist (Examiner, 05/27/09)
Jean Williams, Seattle Environmental Policy Examiner quotes Earthjustice's Glenn Sugameli. Williams concludes: "The choice of Judge Sonia Sotomayor for a place at the U.S. Supreme Court table, is a bold, forwarding thinking choice, to help form a more inclusive, sensible, open-minded, balanced, and diversified American legacy."

Obama Leaves Door Open for Talks with North Korea What is Sotomayor's Approach on Environment?  (CNN, 05/27/09)
"Now, environmentalists, they're certainly encouraged. That's what we're hearing from the news just yesterday and this morning. The group Earthjustice calls Sotomayor well-qualified, says the Riverkeeper case that I just discussed suggests she brings what they're calling an invaluable perspective to environmental issues."

Justice Sotomayor?  (Deseret News [UT] , 05/26/09)
Jay Evensen's perspectives on the news quotes Earthjustice on Sotomayor nomination.

Letter: Sowell column distorts meaning of empathy (Lima News [OH] , 05/12/09)
Published letter from Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli: "The headline of Thomas Sowell's May 5 column, " ‘Empathy' versus law," is a false dichotomy that befits a column that bizarrely distorts the meaning of empathy and then obscenely compares President Barack Obama's "rhetoric" with "the law that gave Hitler dictatorial power.""

Letter: Rule of law needs judicial empathy  (Chattanooga Times Free Press [TN] , 05/07/09)
Published Letter from Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli: "“‘Empathy’ or the Constitution ?” (editorial, May 5) mistakenly condemns any judge who dares to “empathize with others … those personal feelings should be carefully set aside in court in favor of complete impartiality and justice.” There is a reason why judges are people, not computers. They must understand how the Constitution and laws were written to alleviate real problems faced by people in many different circumstances. . . ."

Obama Begins Shaping Federal Judiciary (Law360, 05/06/09)
Extensively quotes Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli.

Seeking Souter's Replacement (Inside EPA, 05/01/09)
Quotes Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli in detail.

On Examination, Will's Rationales Melt Away (Albuquerque Journal [NM], 04/28/09)
Published letter from Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli on George Will's errors on the Constitution, takings and nondelegation.

George Will misleading (Anniston Star [AL] , 04/24/09)
Published Letter to the Editor from Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli on two George Will columns that misread the Constitution.

George Will got it wrong on stimulus bill (Daily Advertiser [Lafayette, LA], 04/21/09)
Published Letter to the Editor from Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli rebutting columnist's misreading of the Constitution.

George Will wrong on constitution's 'Takings clause'  (Republican-American [CT] , 04/19/09)
Published Letter to the Editor from Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli.

Flawed argument (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette [PA], 04/15/09)
Letter to the Editor from Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli on misleading syndicated column promoting the discredited "nondelegation doctrine."

Columnist relied on a discredited argument (Missoulian [MT], 04/09/09)
Published Letter to the Editor from Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli.

George Will misleading; stimulus act is constitutional  (Press of Atlantic City [NJ] , 04/06/09)
Published Letter to the Editor from Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli.

Columnist wrong (Corpus Christi Caller-Times [TX], 04/04/09)
Published Letter to the Editor from Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli.

Empathy is crucial for effective judges (Columbia Daily Tribune [MO] , 04/03/09)
Published Open Column by Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli on how "interpreting ambiguous laws and the Constitution requires understanding their purpose and history."

George Will's misleading Op-Ed: "Emergency stabilization legislation unconstitutional" (Clarion-Ledger [MS] , 04/01/09)
Published Letter to the Editor from Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli.

Will's arguments against federal stimulus are hollow  (Daily Breeze [CA], 03/31/09)
Published Letter to the Editor from Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli.

Empathy essential to justice (Daily News Tribune [MA], 03/31/09)
Published Letter to the Editor from Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli.

Empathy essential to justice (MetroWest Daily News [MA], 03/29/09)
Published Letter to the Editor from Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli expanding on column's rebuttal of right wing charges about judicial nominees.

Confirmation battles-- Re “Obama to influence our courts”  (Los Angeles Times, 03/19/09)
Published letter to the Editor from Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli: "Following the law often requires judicial empathy -- being able to see the world from other people's points of view."

GOP Nominees Need Full Support (Roll Call, 02/23/09)
Letter from Judicial Confirmation Network counsel Wendy E. Long about Glenn Sugameli's Feb. 9th Guest Observer column (see Glenn's March 9 published letter in response to Long).

Court minority misinterprets laws (Roanoke Times [VA], 02/15/09)
Published Letter to the Editor from Judging the Environment's Glenn Sugameli commenting on recent editorial.

Re: Mark Hamby’s Guest Column “Fair Pay Act”  (Journal Record [OK], 02/13/09)
Response by Earthjustice's Glenn Sugameli to a Guest Column

Guest Observer: GOP Payback on Court Nominees Is Hard to Justify (Roll Call, 02/09/09)
Op-Ed by Earthjustice's Glenn Sugameli detailing objective problems that justified failure to confirm all of Bush’s nominees. "Any fair evaluation of the Senate’s review of Bush’s judicial nominations can only argue for confirmation of qualified" Obama nominees.

Supreme Court minority would deny rights (Post-Standard [NY] , 02/04/09)
Published Letter to the Editor from Earthjustice's Glenn Sugameli on threatened access to court.

EarthJustice Legal Defense Fund (Capital Research Center, 02/01/09)
"“Judging the Environment” (http://www. judgingtheenvironment.org/) provides a handy searchable database of arguments green groups can use to oppose a Bush appointee. If you type in the name of an appointee and click on a legal or environmental issue (e.g. Clean Air or The Commerce Clause) you will be directed to statements, resolutions, and “letters of concern” issued by dozens of environmental groups giving reasons why the appointee should be rejected. Glenn Sugameli, a senior legislative counsel ... heads up the project, which keeps tabs on “extreme nominees.”"

Not so fine (Oakland Tribune [CA] , 01/26/09)
Published letter to the editor from Earthjustice's Glenn Sugameli responding to an editorial and discussing Alito and Roberts, access to courts, clean air and water, and worker rights.

The Federal Circuit (National Law Journal, 01/26/09)
Published letter to the editor from Earthjustice's Glenn Sugameli on Federal Circuit nominations, "takings" claims and federal Indian law.

Property Rights Groups Eye ESA Fight In High Court (Law360, 01/23/09)
Article extensively quotes Earthjustice's Glenn Sugameli on previous and future Commerce Clause challenges to ESA protections.

A better comparison (Oklahoman, 01/14/09)
Glenn Sugameli Letter to the Editor: ""Judging judges: Democrats help give Bush mixed legacy" (Our Views, Jan. 6) cites misleading comparisons by Ed Whelan of the Ethics and Public Policy Center of the raw numbers of Senate-confirmed lifetime district and appeals court judges nominated by Presidents Bush and Clinton. Vacancies fluctuate and the Senate can't confirm those who were never nominated. Therefore, it's more accurate to compare confirmation rates. In eight years, the Senate confirmed 76 percent of Clinton nominees (372 of 488), a lower percentage than either the 86 percent for Bush (324 of 376) or the 88 percent for President Reagan (375 of 423)...."

New Year, New Judges (Religious Action Center blog, 01/02/09)
Links to Dec. 2008 ACSBlog by Earthjustice's Glenn Sugameli as one of the four "most interesting articles that I have seen" that offer "President-elect Obama guidance and counsel on how to approach judicial nominations and how best to fill the 44 vacancies on the federal courts that will exist when he takes office. "

Look Beyond Constitutional Interpretation When Picking Judges (American Constitution Society Blog, 12/22/08)
Commentary by Earthjustice's Glenn Sugameli: "The records of potential and pending judicial nominees on constitutional interpretation are a vital consideration, but far from the only one. Lifetime judges must also be competent, fair and independent, and must fairly interpret and apply the statutes, treaties, and judge-made 'common law' that are at issue in the vast majority of cases."

Jury Is Still Out on Obama Judges (Roll Call, 12/01/08)
Article quotes Earthjustice's Glenn Sugameli on future of judicial nominations.

Poor picks for judges, poor view of Senate role (The Hill, 10/15/08)
Published Letter to the Editor from Earthjustice's Glenn Sugameli: Bush has pressured the Senate to confirm judges who would further political agendas by rewriting our Constitution and laws. Roberts and Alito fell one vote short of gutting basic water and air pollution laws.

Judicial Jousting (Inside EPA, 10/06/08)
Quotes Earthjustice's Glenn Sugameli: the Senate confirmed more than 300 Bush judges and President Bush created artificial vacancies by insisting "on nominees who would unfairly favor big corporations over laws that protect people and the environment.”

Democrats actually reduced number of judicial vacancies (Examiner, 07/22/08)
Glenn Sugameli Letter to the Editor: "Quin Hillyer’s column includes a major scoop: West Virginia left the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, as he claims it includes only four states: Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina. If anyone can figure out when or how this occurred, please let me — and the court — know. Or perhaps Mr. Hillyer is mired in an antebellum mind-set and never accepted the fact that West Virginia is no longer part of Virginia. Mr. Hillyer also omits the context. The Senate has confirmed over 300 Bush judges, and the vacancy rate is 4.7 percent. As Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., explained: “Since the years in which Republicans pocket filibustered more than 60 of President [Bill] Clinton’s moderate and qualified judicial nominees, and judicial vacancies topped 100, we have cut judicial vacancies by more than half and reduced Circuit Court vacancies by almost three-fourths, to nine throughout the entire country from a high point of 32.”"

Laura Donovan-- problems (Townhall.com, 07/15/08)
Earthjustice's Glenn Sugameli on problems with column, including omission of key facts- "the Senate in the last three presidential election years - 1996, 2000, and 2004 - confirmed no court of appeals nominees after July; and the most relevant comparison, as Sen. Leahy explained 'Since the years in which Republicans pocket filibustered more than 60 of President Clinton’s moderate and qualified judicial nominees and judicial vacancies topped 100, we have cut judicial vacancies by more than half and we reduced circuit court vacancies by almost three-fourths, to 9 throughout the entire country from a high point of 32.'”

Comment on "Judicial Nominee Could Face Trouble Over Copying Issue" (ABA Journal, 07/07/08)
Earthjustice's Glenn Sugameli: "According to several reports, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), as part of the deal to fend off right-wing opposition to his Judiciary chairmanship, was forced to hire Michael O’Neill as Senate Judiciary Committee chief counsel."

Letter to the Editor: Private property rights (Washington Times, 06/27/08)
Earthjustice's Glenn Sugameli: "As a lawyer who helped defend against the takings claims in the case James L. Huffman describes in "Property rights and wrongs" (Commentary, Thursday), I was struck by how misleading and unfair Mr. Huffman's column is."

Baltimore Examiner failure to correct letter on Rod Rosenstein (Baltimore Examiner, 06/20/08)
Earthjustice's Glenn Sugameli "The Examiner has STILL not made corrections to my published letter... First, I wrote 'yet President Bush won't discuss other nominees opposed by home-state Senators.' Second, Second, my submitted letter referred to 'Maryland's two senators' who had publicly said Rosenstein lacked requisite deep roots in Maryland's legal community."

Comment on Sen. Hatch's "Need for Fairness in Nomination Proceedings" (The Hill, 06/11/08)
The Hill's Congress blog reply by Earthjustice's Glenn Sugameli to Sen. Hatch post links to collection of Hatch 1996-2000 statements on how 94 vacancies is not a crisis, judicial vacancy rates, total numbers of confirmed sitting judges, nominations, need to co-ordinate with home-state Senators, etc.

RE: Republicans stall climate change bill to punish Reid [i.e., Sound and Fury, Signifying Nothing, Obstructs Senate Debate on Global Warming] (Las Vegas Sun, 06/05/08)
Earthjustice: “Senators should reject this unjustifiable effort to obstruct the most serious debate Congress has ever had on global warming -- the greatest challenge the United States and the world have ever faced.... President Bush has failed to nominate anyone to 16 vacancies, including several that have been declared judicial emergencies. The Senate approved more than 300 Bush lifetime judges, but cannot confirm lifetime judges who have not been nominated.”

Judging the Environment’s Glenn Sugameli’s posted response & reply re: GOP halts Senate over Bush nominee (Washington Times, 06/04/08)
"Senate opponents derailed Floor debate on bi-partisan climate change legislation" and attempted to mask their cynical strategy by "fabricating false claims that a deal to confirm three judges had been broken."

RE: “Harry Reid's Handshake” (June 3)  (Wall Street Journal, 06/03/08)
Posted comment by Earthjustice's Glenn Sugameli details many ways in which Wall Street Journal Editorial "is inaccurate and misleading."

Letter to the Editor from Earthjustice's Glenn Sugameli (Fort Dodge [IA] Messenger, 05/06/08)
An April 28 Fort Dodge Messenger editorial erroneously stated the Committee held a “hearing for 5th Circuit nominee Catharina Haynes, but took no action.” In fact, the Committee approved Haynes on April 3 and the Senate confirmed her on April 10.

Judicial Vacancies (Lock Haven [PA] Express, 04/17/08)
Earthjustice's Glenn Sugameli Letter to the Editor of the Lock Haven [PA] Express: President Bush can confirm lifetime judges, if and when he respects the Senate's constitutional advise-and-consent role.