Norton Federal Law Enforcement Nominating Commission at Work (3/23/09)

Norton Federal Law Enforcement Nominating Commission at Work

March 23, 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton's Federal Law Enforcement Nominating Commission has begun work to recommend candidates for the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, U.S. District Court judges, the U.S. Marshall, and similar federal offices for the District of Columbia. President Barack Obama has extended this courtesy to the Congresswoman, usually reserved for senators, to recommend candidates for nominations. Norton has chosen to establish a commission of D.C. residents to advise her. President Bill Clinton was the first president to grant this courtesy to the District of Columbia. The Congresswoman has asked Pauline Schneider, who led her first Commission, to again perform this public service. Schneider is a former chair of the D.C. Bar and a partner with the law firm Orrick, Herrington and Sutcliffe.

Other members of the 17-member Commission are: Jon Bouker, partner, Arent Fox and Zuckerman law firm; Katherine Broderick, dean, David Clarke School of Law of the University of the District of Columbia; Francis D. Carter, partner, Zuckerman Spaeder LLP, member, executive committee and board of governors, D.C. Bar; Emilio W. Cividanes, partner Venable LLC; Thomas R. Donahue, president emeritus, AFL-CIO; Terence C. Golden, chair, Bailey Capital Corporation; Dr. Charles Matthew Hudson, Jr., bishop, Matthews Memorial Baptist Church; Emma Coleman Jordan, professor, Georgetown University Law Center; Janet Murguia, president, National Council of LaRaza; Johnnie Scott Rice, chair and founder, National Congress of Black Women, Metropolitan Chapter; Daniel Solomon, president, Naomi & Nehemiah Cohen Foundation, a founder and trustee, DC Vote; Robert Spagnoletti, partner, Schertler & Onorato, former DC Attorney General, and former president, D.C. Bar; Thomas Williamson, partner, Covington & Burling law firm; Beverly Perry, senior vice president, PEPCO; Carrie L. Thornhill, member, DC Schools-to Careers/Youth Investment Council; Judith Winston, former general counsel, U.S. Department of Education. The Commission includes eight Blacks, two Hispanics, and seven Whites, nine are men and eight are women. They represent major sectors in the District including business, law, law enforcement, labor, education, and community leadership.

During the Clinton administration, Norton was responsible for the appointment of Eric Holder, the first African American United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, Wilma A. Lewis, the first woman to serve in that post, and 12 United States district court judges. All were taken from recommendations of Norton's Commission and were praised by the Bar and the public. In addition to federal responsibilities, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia performs criminal law enforcement functions usually reserved for an elected District Attorney.

The D.C. Federal Law Enforcement Nominating Commission conducts investigations, interviews and vets applicants, and gives the names of the best-qualified candidates to the Congresswoman. Norton, after doing her own due diligence of recommendations, indicates her preferences to the President.