November 29, 2007

Boxer v. Rogan

It looks like California's junior senator, Sen. Barbara Boxer, is blocking the federal court nomination of former Rep. James Rogan because of his leading role in the impeachment of former President Bill Clinton.

The Associated Press has more:

"U.S. Rep. Rogan was one of the most enthusiastic backers of impeachment - he thought President Clinton had committed high crimes and misdemeanors. The Senate certainly disagreed with that conclusion, as did Sen. Boxer," said Boxer's spokeswoman Natalie Ravitz.

Boxer also believes that Rogan's strongly conservative positions on gun control, abortion and other issues make him "out of step with California," Ravitz said.

Rogan, who's currently a state Superior Court judge in Orange County appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, served in the House from 1997 to 2001 and was one of the managers of impeachment proceedings against Clinton in 1998.

He declined comment. "Out of respect for the Senate and its process, I just don't have any comment on this," he said.

Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont, won't bring up court nominees unless they have the support of their home-state senators, and neither Boxer nor Sen. Dianne Feinstein has backed Rogan's nomination.

Posted by Shane Goldmacher on November 29, 2007 4:46 PM