Supreme Court Nominee Is Blocked by Connecticut GOP -- WSJ
March 28 2018 - 3:02AM
Dow Jones News
By Joseph De Avila
This article is being republished as part of our daily
reproduction of WSJ.com articles that also appeared in the U.S.
print edition of The Wall Street Journal (March 28, 2018).
Republicans in the Connecticut Senate on Tuesday blocked the
confirmation of Gov. Dannel Malloy's choice for chief justice of
the state Supreme Court in a highly unusual partisan dispute over a
judicial nomination.
The state Senate voted against elevating Associate Justice
Andrew McDonald, who has served on the Supreme Court since 2013, to
the top spot on the court by a vote of 19 to 16. The state Senate
is equally divided between Republicans and Democrats, but one
Democratic senator recused herself due to a conflict.
Mr. Malloy, a Democrat, will be able to nominate another chief
justice for the state Supreme Court.
Supporters of Justice McDonald used political campaign-style
robocalls to encourage residents to contact lawmakers to vote for
the governor's pick.
"Our two-party system here in Connecticut, like we see in
Congress, is becoming increasingly polarized," said Gary Rose,
chairman of the department of government, politics and global
studies at Sacred Heart University. "The Republicans have become a
more conservative party over time, and the Democratic Party has
pulled more to the left."
"I don't know what the future holds for me," Justice McDonald,
51 years old, said in a written statement. "I do know, however,
that I will face it secure in the love and affection of my husband,
Charles, and an amazing group of friends and family that I
cherish."
Republican opposition to Justice McDonald was driven by personal
animus against the governor, Mr. Malloy said. The governor also
said some GOP members refused to elevate Justice McDonald, former
general counsel for the governor, to the top position on the
Supreme Court because he is gay, which Republicans deny.
"It is now an undeniable fact that Andrew McDonald has been
treated differently than others who came before him. It begs the
question, what is different about Justice McDonald that so concerns
Connecticut Republicans?" Mr. Malloy asked at a Tuesday news
conference.
GOP leaders have called Justice McDonald a judicial activist and
object to his nomination because they say his personal views
influence his court opinions. State Sen. John Kissel, the
Republican chairman of the judiciary committee, said Justice
McDonald's sexuality didn't factor into his caucus's vote to block
his elevation.
"The story is about a handful of judicial decisions and whether
the majority of folks feel that Justice McDonald is appropriate at
this time in his judicial career to be the chief justice of the
state Supreme Court," Mr. Kissel said. "This is not about Justice
McDonald's personal views on how he wants to run his personal
life."
State Sen. Martin Looney, the top-ranking Democrat in the
chamber, said Justice McDonald meets the standards for chief
justice of the Supreme Court, noting that he also served for eight
years in the state Legislature in addition to his time in the
governor's office and on the state Supreme Court.
"That gives him the most broad-based, unique perspective, I
think, that anyone could have to bring to the leadership of the
court," Mr. Looney said.
Dozens of faculty members from Quinnipiac University School of
Law, University of Connecticut School of Law and Yale Law School
also supported Justice McDonald's nomination.
Write to Joseph De Avila at joseph.deavila@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
March 28, 2018 02:47 ET (06:47 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2018 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
McDonalds (NYSE:MCD)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2024 to May 2024
McDonalds (NYSE:MCD)
Historical Stock Chart
From May 2023 to May 2024