Judicial Comission on Nominees: 'Our Record Speaks for Itself'
By Jimmy VielkindALBANY—The counsel for the Commission on Judicial Nomination, which yesterday released seven candidates to replace retiring Chief Judge Judith Kaye, said he cannot comment on specific deliberations of the group before it nominated an all-male, mostly white slate.
"I'm not going to comment except to say except to say that our record speaks for itself, in terms of the broad range of judges that are on the court now that have gone through the nominating process," said Stephen Younger, an attorney at Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler.
David Paterson, who is obligated to choose from the list of names presented to him, said yesterday the lack of diversity is "disturbing." Today, others includeing State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. and Senator-elect Hiram Monserrate jumped on the bandwagon.
Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith said in a public statement, "The lack of diversity among the recommendations by the New York State Commission on Judicial Nominations is disappointing. In the most diverse state in the country, home to the United Nations, the absence of a woman or any Latinos on the list of possibilities is inexplicable and unrepresentative of the population of New York State."
For all the rhetoric, it appears the governor's hands are constitutionally tied (Article 6, Sec. 2).
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But his hands weren't tied
But his hands weren't tied and his mouth taped shut for the monmths leading up to the Commission's recommendations.
Where was Paterson all these weeks touting possible replacements for the state's top jurist? Did he care so little about the future of diversity on the court and in government or was he too busy stumping for his friends and former colleagues in the Senate Minority?
Did he only notice that Hispanics are a large -- and growing -- part of NY's tapestry when the Senate Democrat insurrectionists started to make their damnds for more respect?
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