Legal News

Rhode Island Judicial Nominee Takes on More Partisan Fire

By Nathan Koppel

Short of Goodwin Liu, perhaps no federal judicial nominee in the past year has been roughed up in Congress more than John McConnell (pictured), a partner at famed plaintiffs’ firm Motley Rice.

President Obama nominated him a year ago for a federal district court seat in Rhode Island.

The Chamber of Commerce quickly objected to the nomination, citing his work bringing lead-paint litigation along with his sizable earnings in tobacco litigation.

Critics have also noted McConnell’s contributions to the Democratic party. Congress adjourned last year without taking action on McConnell’s nomination.

The debate continued today, according to this post in the BLT blog.

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 11-7 in favor of the nomination, but Republicans renewed the sorts of critiques McConnell is likely to face on the Senate floor, the BLT reports.

McConnell and his firm “often brought these controversial mass tort litigation cases while representing state attorneys general on no-bid contingency fee contracts,” Iowa Republican Chuck Grassley said today.

But Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island rallied to the nominee’s defense, saying that the criticism is unfounded and noting that Republicans in Rhode Island, including 1st Circuit Judge Bruce Selya, are supporters of McConnell, according to the BLT.

"[McConnell] may not be the favorite of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, but he's doing just fine in Rhode Island," Whitehouse said.

McConnell declined to talk to the Law Blog.

Full post as published by Law Blog - WSJ.com on March 31, 2011 (boomark / email).