Liberal Groups Fault Cornyn, Cruz on Judicial Vacancies

[Tx4obama]

Liberal Groups Fault Cornyn, Cruz on Judicial Vacancies

Saying that Texas has more vacant federal judgeships than any other state, leaders from state and national liberal advocacy organizations on Monday called on U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn to do more to fill the openings.

“The Republican senators go out of their way to prevent certain seats from being filled, hoping that a future Republican president will step in and fill them," Janet Neuenschwander, coordinator of the National Council of Jewish Women, said Monday at a news conference addressing the vacancies. “You have got a circuit court of appeals heavily weighted in favor of Republicans. I can only assume that the two senators do not want to put any additional judges on that circuit to maintain the substantial advantage that they have on that circuit.”

There are seven Texas federal district court judgeships vacant and two Texas seats on the 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. Seven of the vacant spots have been declared “judicial emergencies” by the Administrative Office of the United States Courts because of the length of the vacancies.

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Full article here: http://www.texastribune.org/2013/11/04/organizations-call-cruz-cornyn-fill-judgeships/