Posted on: Friday, May 17, 2002

Clifton nomination as judge advances

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday unanimously approved and sent to the full Senate the nomination of Honolulu lawyer Richard Clifton for the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

President Bush and the GOP have complained that the Democrats have not acted quickly enough on Bush's nominees.

The Senate has confirmed 57 judges, including nine of the president's first 30 appeals court nominees. Bush has nominated more than 100 people for judicial vacancies.

If confirmed by the Senate, Clifton would become only the second person from Hawai'i to sit on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which handles appeals from federal trial courts in California, Oregon, Arizona, Montana, Idaho, Nevada, Alaska, Hawai'i and Washington state.

Clifton, who has served as volunteer attorney for the Hawai'i Republican Party, told senators he would follow the lead of the San Francisco-based court, which is considered among the most liberal of the appeals courts.

It was not immediately known when the Senate will vote on Clifton's nomination.

The committee has not yet scheduled a hearing on another judicial nominee from Hawai'i, Honolulu attorney Frederick W. "Fritz" Rohlfing III.

Rohlfing has been nominated for appointment by President Bush to the U.S. District Court bench in Hawai'i.