December 5, 2021 - WASHINGTON, D.C. - Last week, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called for the swift confirmation of seven judicial nominees from California. The nominees advanced out of the Senate Judiciary Committee and are now moving to the Senate Floor for consideration by the full Senate.

 WATCH: Padilla Speaks in Favor of Confirming California Judicial Nominees

“I’m proud to support these highly qualified candidates to serve as judges on the Ninth Circuit and California’s District Courts. Our justice system needs the experience and unique perspectives these public servants bring,” said Senator Padilla. “I urge the swift confirmation of these nominees and I will continue to recommend candidates for federal judgeships who reflect California’s tremendous diversity, bring a breadth of professional and lived experience, and demonstrate a commitment to equal justice.”

The committee advanced the nominations of Holly A. Thomas and Gabriel P. Sanchez, to be federal appellate judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The Committee also advanced the nominations of Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of California; Jennifer L. Thurston, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of California; Hernan D. Vera, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of California; Linda Lopez, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of California; and Jinsook Ohta, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of California.

Thomas received a vote of 11-11; Sanchez received a vote of 12-10; Frimpong received a vote of 12-10; Thurston received a vote of 13-9; Vera received a vote of 11-11; Lopez received a vote of 12-10; and Ohta received a vote of 12-10. Due to the tied votes, Leader Schumer may now file discharge motions on the Thomas and Vera nominations to place them on the executive calendar.

Senator Padilla is committed to rebuilding a federal judiciary that better reflects the communities it serves. Within weeks of being sworn in to the Senate, Padilla established a Judicial Evaluation Commission that is approximately 70 percent attorneys of color and a majority women to evaluate candidates for federal judicial vacancies in California. Working with his Commission over the last several months, Senator Padilla evaluated each of the individuals nominated by President Biden, and enthusiastically supports their confirmation. Earlier this year, Padilla introduced and spoke in favor of the nominees’ confirmations before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Padilla also applauded President Biden’s selection of this historic slate of diverse judicial nominees.
Source: Senator Alex Padilla