Legal News

Law Blog Inaugural Roundup: On Donors, Succession and Judges

By Dan Slater

• The party’s on us! Last spring, we noted that lawyers were emptying their pockets for all three then-presidential candidates. They’ve also coughed up quite a bit for the inaugural activities. Lawyers and law firms are the second largest contributors thus far, notes the National Law Journal, kicking in $2.5 million (175 donations), according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

  Several bold-face names at the top, $50,000 level: Dorothy and Russell Budd of Dallas’ Baron & Budd; Stan Chesley of Cincinnati’s Waite, Schneider, Bayless & Chesley (pictured); Sean Coffey of New York’s Bernstein Litowitz; John Cogan of WilmerHale; Thomas Cole of Sidley Austin; Susan Hassan of Skadden Arps; Michelle Lerach of Coughlin Stoia; Jeffrey McFarland of Quinn Emanuel; Clare Tayback of Quinn Emanuel.

• Succession Solution: Shortly after the election, LB colleague Ashby Jones penned a piece on what experts were calling a potential succession crisis: If disaster struck around 12 noon on Inauguration Day and many of our nation’s leaders were killed or incapacitated, who would assume the presidency? On Inauguration Day, the issue is perhaps more pressing than at other times because many of the folks in line to assume power — cabinet members — aren’t available. On the one hand, many of the previous administration’s cabinet members have already tended their resignations, while the new presidents’ picks have yet to be confirmed by the Senate. So, in essence, you’ve got the possibility of a serious power vacuum.

  But the Obama administration has managed to get around possible problems by keeping on Robert Gates as Secretary of Defense. According to this WaPo story, Gates has been stowed away in a secure location apart from the Inaugural swearing-in ceremony. Were the unimaginable to happen at 12 noon on the Capitol steps, under the Presidential Succession Act, Gates would be able to assume the office of the president.

• Choosing Judges: Will Obama chip away at conservative courts? By the end of his first year in office, Obama will face roughly 16 vacancies on the federal bench — from the Fourth Circuit, to the Ninth Circuit, to the Third Circuit to the District of Columbia Circuit. He could also pick up more picks if Congress passes a law, which stalled in Congress last year, providing for an additional 14 appellate judges. Here’s the WSJ story.

  In October, while on the campaign trail, Obama hinted that he would appoint judges who have “the heart, the empathy…to understand what it’s like to be poor, or African-American, or gay, or disabled, or old.” Apart from this, he has given little indication of his intention concerning judicial appointments. “We just don’t know much at all,” said Aron. The Obama transition team didn’t return calls seeking comment.

Full post as published by Law Blog - WSJ.com on January 20, 2009 (boomark / email).