Bennet, Hickenlooper send 3 candidates to White House for federal judgeship
Colorado Politics
U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper on Friday recommended three men to the White House to fill an upcoming vacancy on Colorado's seven-member federal trial court.
The candidates are U.S. Magistrate Judges S. Kato Crews and Gordon P. Gallagher, as well as Sundeep K. "Rob" Addy, an attorney in private practice. Whomever the Biden administration nominates will succeed U.S. District Court Judge William J. Martínez, an appointee of Barack Obama who is taking a form of semi-retirement known as senior status.
Although presidents appoint federal judges, senators exert significant influence over the process, more so with trial court vacancies. Prior to this latest round of candidates, Bennet and Hickenlooper have contributed to the nomination of three district court candidates and the appointment of one, Judge Regina M. Rodriguez.
The other two nominees, Charlotte N. Sweeney and Nina Y. Wang, have not yet received Senate confirmation. Sweeney, a workers' rights attorney, has been waiting since August for a vote, the longest of any of Biden's nominees. Wang, a magistrate judge who Biden nominated in January, still has not received a hearing before the Senate's judiciary committee.