How often have people nominated for the U.S. Supreme Court not been seated?
President Obama has nominated Sonia Sotomayor, 54, a federal judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, to replace retiring Justice David Souter. If confirmed by the Senate by majority vote, Sotomayor would join Ruth Bader Ginsburg as the second woman on the current court, and third ever. The first female justice was Sandra Day O’Connor. Just 30 people who have been nominated were not seated. Eight of the nominations were withdrawn, 12 were rejected by the Senate and 10 others were either postponed or no action was taken. The most recent appointment to be withdrawn was in 2005. John Roberts was nominated to replace O’Connor, but when Chief Justice William Rehnquist died shortly after Roberts was nominated, President George W. Bush picked Roberts to become chief justice and White House counsel Harriet Miers for the open associate position. Miers had no judicial experience and her nomination was widely criticized. Less than a month later, the nomination was withdrawn and
President Obama has nominated Sonia Sotomayor, 54, a federal judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, to replace retiring Justice David Souter. If confirmed by the Senate by majority vote, Sotomayor would join Ruth Bader Ginsburg as the second woman on the current court, and third ever. The first female justice was Sandra Day O’Connor. Just 30 people who have been nominated were not seated. Eight of the nominations were withdrawn, 12 were rejected by the Senate and 10 others were either postponed or no action was taken. The most recent appointment to be withdrawn was in 2005. John Roberts was nominated to replace O’Connor, but when Chief Justice William Rehnquist died shortly after Roberts was nominated, President George W. Bush picked Roberts to become chief justice and White House counsel Harriet Miers for the open associate position. Miers had no judicial experience and her nomination was widely criticized. Less than a month later, the nomination was withdrawn and
