WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell and U.S. Representative Doc Hastings announced that they have formed a new bipartisan judicial selection committee to select potential candidates for the seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington. The seat became vacant when Judge Edward Shea took senior status.
The commission is comprised of four Democrats and four Republicans from Eastern Washington and the Tri-Cities, who will be charged with advertising for the open position and screening potential candidates. The commission will then present three candidates to Murray and Cantwell, who will interview them and, if they are acceptable, recommend them to President Obama. The Washington state senators will only support candidates who have been selected by this bipartisan commission during Senate confirmation.
Murray, Cantwell, and Hastings, the most senior Republican of the Washington delegation, recently used a bipartisan selection commission to put forward the nomination of Thomas Rice from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Spokane, who was nominated by President Obama and confirmed by the Senate to fill a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington.
The members of the newly formed commission are:
Democrats:
Nancy Isserlis, Spokane attorney (lead)
Jaime Hawk, Spokane attorney
Andy Miller, Kennewick attorney
Juliana Repp, Spokane attorney
Republicans:
John Schultz, Kennewick attorney (lead)
James Hayner, Walla Walla attorney
Gregory Beeler, Pasco attorney
Sharon Brown, Kennewick attorney
The commission will be advertising in local media regarding the open position, as well as the application process. Anyone interested in applying should contact Nancy Isserlis or John Schultz directly and not another commission member.
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