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Senate Goes to Work on Nominations

February 5, 2010 - Posted by Christian Motley

The Senate moved key nominations yesterday, the first of the new year.

M. Patricia Smith was confirmed 60-37 to be the solicitor of labor.  In this role, Smith will provide legal advice to the Department of Labor about how to enforce federal labor laws.

Smith has had a long, distinguished career as labor attorney for the state of New York as assistant attorney general in charge of the Labor Bureau and, most recently, as commissioner of labor.  The Leadership Conference supported her nomination, calling her record "unassailable."

The Senate Judiciary Committee also voted 12-7 to approve U.S. Magistrate Edward Chen's nomination for United States Judge of the District of Northern California. The vote sends his nomination will be sent to the floor of the Senate. If confirmed, Chen would become the first Asian-American judge in the history of the District of Northern California.

Chen has served in the role of U.S. Magistrate Judge for nine years presiding over cases with a balanced and unbiased professionalism. His service has won him accolades from the American Bar Association, including of its 10 past presidents, local community organizations, and former prosecutors, including Republican Thomas P. Mazzucco, who praised Chen as a "fair, balanced and supremely competent jurist."

There are still challenges getting qualified nominations through the Senate.  Sen. Richard Shelby, R. Ala., has placed a hold on all executive branch nominations, which will only further delay nominations.

Dawn Johnsen's nomination to be the assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel, which was on the Senate Judiciary Committee's schedule yesterday, was delayed yet again.  Johnsen's nomination has been pending for nearly a year.

The civil rights community has been a STRONG supporter of Johnsen's nomination.  In November 2009, The Leadership Conference sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid signed by nearly 40 civil rights groups urging the senator to bring Johnsen's nomination up for a vote.

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