Hagan panel to screen candidates for federal appointments
WASHINGTON, D.C.
U.S. Senator Kay R. Hagan (D-N.C.) has established a statewide panel to screen candidates from North Carolina for appointments to key federal positions.
The panel will report to Sen. Hagan, who will in turn make recommendations to the White House for United States attorneys and federal District Court judgeships. In addition, Sen. Hagan has pledged to work with Sen. Burr and her colleagues in the Senate, as well as with the White House, to ensure that North Carolina receives appropriate representation on the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals.
This committee will also screen candidates for available positions on the 4th Circuit.
“This committee will be comprised of experienced professionals from across the state and will help ensure that the most qualified and competent candidates are ultimately selected for recommendation to the federal judiciary and U.S. attorney positions,” Hagan said.
“In the past, judicial nominations from both sides of the aisle have been delayed and often derailed because of partisan objections and bickering, regardless of the credentials of the nominees. I am committed to working with President Obama, Senator Burr, the Judiciary Committee, and my colleagues in the Senate to ensure that North Carolina’s interests are served on the federal benches.”
The committee will consist of four members: One member each from the eastern, western and central regions of North Carolina, and one chairman selected from anywhere in the state.
In addition to recommending U.S. attorneys and federal District Court judges, Sen. Hagan has made filling the current vacancy on the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, open since 1994, a key priority.
Sen. Hagan has discussed the inequity of representation on the court with White House Counsel Greg Craig and President Obama.
