Rhode Island Superior Court Justice Ojetta Rogeriee Thompson '73 did not receive full support from the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary for her nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, casting a shadow on her impending Senate confirmation.
The ABA committee rates all federal nominees based on "professional qualifications" including integrity, judicial temperament and competence. Eight to nine members of the 15-person committee rated Thompson as "qualified" or "satisfactory," while at least five committee members said she did not meet the committee's standards, according to the Journal.
President Obama nominated Thompson on Oct. 6.
Despite opposition, Rhode Island Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, both Democrats, continue to back Obama's latest nominee.
"Judge Thompson has a long and distinguished record as a lawyer and a judge in Rhode Island for over 20 years and is a highly qualified nominee with an exemplary record," they said in a statement to the Journal. "The ABA plays a limited advisory role, and has nowhere near the familiarity with judicial candidates that we do in Rhode Island. It is up to the Senate to decide who is qualified to serve on the federal bench — and we are confident that our colleagues in the Senate will support Judge Thompson."
Whitehouse also serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will make recommendations to the Senate during Thompson's confirmation hearing.
If the Senate confirms Thompson, she will be the first black judge and the second woman to serve on the First Circuit appeals court.
According to Journal, 16 of the 23 nominations Obama has made have received the highest standard.
