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September 04, 2005
Edith Brown Clement
Interesting comment on today's Meet the Press:
MR. RUSSERT: There's a list left over...
MR. WILLIAMS: Yeah.
MR. RUSSERT: ...from when John Roberts was selected...
MR. WILLIAMS: Right.
MR. RUSSERT: ...only a few months ago. One of those names was Edith Clement of New Orleans.
MR. WILLIAMS: Right.
MR. RUSSERT: How fitting in the wake of Hurricane Katrina that one of the top contenders may be a woman from New Orleans.
Filling Rehnquist's spot with a woman from New Orleans would be some powerful, powerful politics. It'd give the city something to be proud of, give Bush a sort of second chance to craft his public image on the hurricane, and prove a very tough nomination to oppose. We'll see...
September 4, 2005 in The Supreme Court | Permalink
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» I'll humor you with some predictions from Common Sense
I know you, my loyal readers are just dying to hear what I have to say on Roberts and Rehnquist's replacement to the High Court. Like David Corn and Ezra, I think Bush would be stupid not to nominate Edith [Read More]
Tracked on Sep 4, 2005 8:31:20 PM
» I'll humor you with some predictions from Common Sense
I know you, my loyal readers are just dying to hear what I have to say on Roberts and Rehnquist's replacement to the High Court. Like David Corn and Ezra, I think Bush would be stupid not to nominate Edith [Read More]
Tracked on Sep 4, 2005 9:09:15 PM
» The Win-Win Scenario from Minipundit
Ezra makes a very good point; nominating Edith Brown Clement (remember her? the person the press was so convinced would be the nominee last time, and then wasn't?), a New Orleans native, would be a powerful statement of solidarity by [Read More]
Tracked on Sep 4, 2005 9:29:12 PM
» The Win-Win Scenario from Minipundit
Ezra makes a very good point; nominating Edith Brown Clement (remember her? the person the press was so convinced would be the nominee last time, and then wasn't?), a New Orleans native, would be a powerful statement of solidarity by [Read More]
Tracked on Sep 4, 2005 9:29:44 PM
» An Edith Brown Clement Nomination After All? from Bloodless Coup
It seems that in light of Hurricane Katrina some people think it might make good political sense to name a woman from Louisiana to fill Sandra Day O'Connor's seat on the US Supreme Court.... [Read More]
Tracked on Sep 5, 2005 2:30:35 PM
» An Edith Brown Clement Nomination After All? from Bloodless Coup
It seems that in light of Hurricane Katrina some people think it might make good political sense to name a woman from Louisiana to fill Sandra Day O'Connor's seat on the US Supreme Court. UPDATE: Todd Zywicki offers another reason... [Read More]
Tracked on Sep 5, 2005 2:57:35 PM
Comments
I would consider that a nightmare scenario. Isn't the judiciary down there going to have enough hassles with relocating, reconstruction of files, standard staffing, etc., without having to also replace one of their established judges?
Posted by: Molly B. | Sep 4, 2005 5:03:03 PM
Lame.
Posted by: aPantomimeHorse | Sep 4, 2005 5:07:54 PM
Isn't that really like selecting Miss Oklahoma for Miss America the year of the OKC bombing? Let's at least take a look at a variety of candidates before settling on something heavy on symbolism to make up for other shortcomings. I'm sure the White House has a process for selecting a good, qulaified nominee that... oh, wait... ;)
Posted by: weboy | Sep 4, 2005 6:05:24 PM
That seems a bit silly. Edith Brown Clement is not Professor Longhair. She's not a local hero. She's just some judge lady no one in New Orleans or anywhere else had heard of until this summer. What the hell do post-apocalypse residents there care if she becomes a justice? And would nominating her *really* resuscitate Bush's image vis a vis Katrina in the minds of anyone else in the country who isn't mentally impaired?
Posted by: Sam Rosenfeld | Sep 4, 2005 6:17:12 PM
Latest FaBlog: Bedtime for Bobo
Posted by: David Ehrenstein | Sep 4, 2005 6:26:17 PM
That would be silly, and easily pointed out as such.
Posted by: Sandals | Sep 4, 2005 7:48:48 PM
I hope Bush thinks that way, given that Clement is perhaps the most palatable viable nominee...
Posted by: Scott Lemieux | Sep 4, 2005 8:38:53 PM
It certainly would help Bush repare relations with New Orleans' hard hit white conservative lawyer community.
Posted by: SamAm | Sep 5, 2005 12:49:12 AM
Do any of you naysayers know anything about Judge Clement? Scott Lemieux is on the right track here; she was in the news in the summer precisely because she is such a strong candidate for judicial advancement.
"[S]ome judge lady"… wow. Just wow.
Posted by: Mastiff | Sep 5, 2005 2:51:30 AM
I am quietly hoping (and praying) for Edith Jones of the fifth circuit to be nominated.
Posted by: Fred Jones | Sep 5, 2005 8:37:46 AM
Quieter, please, Fred.
Meanwhile, TNH beats Russert to the punch. 45 minutes before air.
Ow! My shoulder!
Posted by: Kagro X | Sep 5, 2005 11:23:21 AM
"[S]ome judge lady"… wow. Just wow.
Wow what? Isn't that how she's viewed in the eyes of the erstwhile denizens of New Orleans?
Hey, but if you want to strip three words of all context and analyze them in a vacuum...
Posted by: Xerxes | Sep 5, 2005 8:41:42 PM
Clement was the hot rumor the day of the Roberts announcement, and if I recall correctly she was reated to a reletively warm reception in the lefty blogosphere. If we get through two terms of Dubya nad his lifetime appointments are roberts and Clement, I'd say we got away lucky.
Posted by: Mr Furious | Sep 6, 2005 12:56:53 PM
29 OCT 05
SUPREME COURT NOMINEE: JUDGE EDITH CLEMENT of LA.
The President needs to make a Good Sound nominee choice this time! Judge Edith Clement of La. is the obvious choice!
She is the closest to a moderate he has on his list, that and she will have the support of Senator Mary Landru (d)of LA.
I believe Mr. Clement is GWB'S Solicitor General?
Judge Clement was approved by the US SENATE twice 99-0.
She like Robert's is a Class Act!
See article below from USA Today.
Thanks for taking the time to read my post
JUDGE: Edith Brown Clement
Back to Supreme Court Nomination
Prior to the Harriet Miers fiasco, the buzz in Washington center around Edith Brown Clement. Clement is 57 years old and serves as a judge on the New Orleans-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit.
Clement was nominated by President George H.W. Bush to serve as a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana in 1991 and was elevated to her current post by the current President Bush in 2001. She sailed through the confirmation process with the support of Democrats and Republicans.
Clement, a graduate of the University of Alabama and Tulane University Law School, worked as a lawyer in private practice in New Orleans for 16 years before beginning her tenure on the federal bench.
While Clement is a conservative, she might be much more acceptable to moderates and practical liberals when compared to more extreme candidates like Edith Hollan Jones and Janice Rogers Brown.
Key Decisions and Writings:
Clement has been described her as a judicial conservative who leans toward the defense in civil cases, and as a no-nonsense judge who is strict about deadlines and insists on professionalism from lawyers. She was confirmed 99-0 when appointed to the 5th Circuit.
She is a member of the Federalist Society, an influential conservative legal organization. She is not, however, considered to be as conservative or outspoken as other potential nominees.
Clement does not have the kind of judicial record that provides clear signals on how she would rule on some of the hot-button issues like abortion. Accordingly, she is not a known quantity and that raises concerns with some conservatives.
Abortion - MSNBC is reporting that Clement has acknowledged that Rowe v. Wade is settled law and within the constitutionally protected right to privacy. She apparently stated this at her last confirmation hearing.
Commerce Clause - Like other conservative judges, Clement has given indications that she supports some limitations on Federal powers under the Commerce Clause, meaning that some reasonable connection to interstate commerce is necessary to justify Congressional action. Her dissent in US v. McFarland is cited as she was willing to limit applicability of the Hobbes Act.
The Commerce Clause has been stretched so far by the Supreme Court that some limitations seem reasonable. Liberals are concerned that this "trend" might eventually be used to limit Federal power to regulate things like the environment, but that may be reading too much into some of these minor limitations.
Business - Clement is viewed as a pro-business judge, often ruling in favor of corporations and other entities against individual plaintiffs. One liberal talking head just said on MSNBC that she has not demonstrated compassion.
------------------------------------------------------
I believe the CLEMENT & CLEMENT Team in Washington D.C. would be a valuable asset
to the White House, The Court, Congress and the future of our Country.
Posted by: ROBERT WHITE | Oct 29, 2005 5:30:49 PM
