Senate Vote: Leslie H. Southwick Nomination
Summary: Nomination of Leslie H. Southwick to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Result: Cloture Motion Passed
A vote against cloture was counted as a + vote (in line with LCCR's position)
View individual member votes on this bill by state:
Issue: Judiciary/Legal Rights
Date: 10/24/07
Roll Call No. 392
This was a vote on a motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Leslie H. Southwick to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, following his being narrowly voted out of committee.
LCCR strongly opposed Leslie Southwick's nomination.
While a judge on Mississippi state court, Judge Southwick joined or authored opinions that cast doubt on his commitment to fairness and equal justice in cases involving minorities, gays and lesbians, and workers and consumers. His record was all the more troubling given that the Fifth Circuit has the highest percentage of minority residents of the federal circuits.
Unfortunately, some senators placed undue hope in his personal qualities and his professed commitment to fairness, while ignoring his judicial record, and voted for cloture, allowing his confirmation to a lifetime seat on the Fifth Circuit.
Result: The Senate invoked cloture (62-35).
