President Barack Obama, frustrated earlier by sharp Republican opposition, has renominated Hartford district court judge Robert N. Chatigny to the federal appeals court. But the new nomination could face growing opposition if, as many analysts expect, Republicans pick up U.S. Senate seats in November's mid-term election.
Chatigny was one of five federal judicial nominees Obama sent to the U.S. Senate judiciary committee late Monday, the deadline for re-nominations following the Senate's summer recess. The Senate must approve presidential judicial appointments.
Obama first nominated Chatigny to the influential U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals in February. The nomination ran into unexpectedly strong partisan opposition at the committee. Republicans complained Chatigny has not imposed sufficiently harsh sentences on sexual predators and criticized what they called his judicial activism for intervening in, and briefly postponing, the 2005 execution of rapist and serial killer Michael Ross.
The Senate's minority Republicans early last month invoked a procedural rule that effectively removed Chatigny's nomination from the Senate - where it had not reached a final floor vote - and returned it to the White House.
Members of the Senate's Democratic-controlled judiciary committee had approved the Chatigny nomination by a 11-7 party line vote in June.
Some observers believe the Chatigny nomination has become hostage to partisan bickering in Congress. Those observers have said Republican Senate leaders are blocking Obama's judicial appointments in part as pay back for what they believe was Democratic stalling over appointments during the administration of former President George W. Bush.