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发帖数: 29846 | 1 March 8, 2013
By Staff, Associated Press
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A state judge from Las Vegas who wrote in 2008 she didn't
believe there was a constitutional right to own guns is abandoning her bid
for a federal judgeship, after the comment led to a yearlong standoff
between Nevada's two U.S. senators over her nomination.
Clark County District Judge Elissa Cadish submitted a letter to the senators
, made public Friday, saying she asked President Barack Obama to withdraw
the nomination after it appeared to have reached an impasse. Her bid needed
support from both Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and
Republican Sen. Dean Heller to get a hearing before the Senate Judiciary
Committee.
"By withdrawing my nomination, I am hopeful that there will be a speedy
nomination and confirmation process for a new candidate in order to get that
court up to its full complement of judges to the benefit of all citizens of
Nevada," Cadish wrote in her letter.
She added that she planned to seek re-election for her district court seat
in 2014, and needed to resolve the lingering federal nomination issue before
she could start campaigning. The code of conduct for federal judge nominees
advises them to refrain from political activity.
Cadish's candidacy hit a roadblock over her response to a 2008 questionnaire
from Citizens for Responsible Government while she was running for a state
judgeship.
Asked about the Second Amendment's right to keep and bear arms, she wrote
that, "I do not believe that there is this constitutional right." She added,
however, that, "I will enforce the laws as they exist as a judge."
When Reid later asked her to explain the comment, Cadish said federal law at
the time was unsettled. U.S. Supreme Court rulings later in 2008 and in
2010 said the constitution protects a person's right to keep firearms, and
Cadish said she would answer accordingly if asked the same question today.
Heller said he respected Cadish, but couldn't support her bid.
"I believe an individual citizen has the constitutional right to keep and
bear arms and cannot in good conscience support a nominee whose commitment
to the Constitution's Second Amendment is in doubt," Heller said.
Heller released a statement Friday saying he agreed with the withdrawal.
"This has been an unfortunate situation from the very beginning and I wish
Judge Cadish well in her future endeavors. I look forward to working with
Senator Reid so that we can avoid similar situations and move swiftly to
confirm future nominees," he said.
Reid praised Cadish's accomplishments as a judge and her "patience and grace
in this process."
"I am disappointed in this outcome," Reid said in a statement released
Friday. "However, I agree with Judge Cadish that with three vacancies on our
district court, Nevada is in an urgent situation and continuing this
impasse is not beneficial to our citizens who warrant a speedy judicial
process." |
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