Advice and consent ain’t a strong suit for Gov. Jodi Rell in her end game in the second floor corner office. Rep. Mike Lawlor, D-East Haven, co-chairman of the legislative Judiciary Committee, along with Sen. Andrew McDonald, D-Stamford, the other co-chair, warned her in December that the Judicial Branch is in acute fiscal distress and can’t afford new judges. So last this afternoon she drops a list of 10 nominees, some of whom are in private practice, who may never be confirmed.
Nothing like announcing to the firm that you’re allowing your name to be nominated to a $149,000 state judgeship, then not getting the job. It could happen, because of the state’s fiscal crisis. Those already in state jobs, like OPM Secretary Bob Genuario of Norwalk and Assistant Attorney general Susan Cobb of West Hartford, have jobs to which they can return.
Lawlor said the whole bunch – four Republicans, five Democrats and an unaffiliated – might received unfavorable reports. “It’s extremely unfair to these people,” Lawlor said tonight. “In this particular case, we’ve been made aware that the Judicial Branch is in crisis. I don’t think they an afford it.”
There are no African-Americans or Latinos in the group.
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