On the recordMay 18, 2011
on May 17, 2011, the Senate considered the nomination of Susan Carney to serve as a Judge on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. I voted against her nomination and want to explain my vote. The qualifications of a judicial nominee are critically important. Susan Carney received her A.B. in 1973 and her J.D. in 1977 from Harvard, graduating both times with honors. Following law school she clerked on the First Circuit. She then worked in private practice in Washington from 1979 until 1986. After several years of self- employment, she became affiliated with another Washington law firm in 1994 before becoming associate general counsel of the Peace Corps in 1996. Since 1998 she has worked in Yale University's General Counsel's Office; she has been deputy general counsel since 2001. I question whether Ms. Carney has the proper experience to serve as an appellate judge. She has no litigation experience in the last 15 years. She has never tried any cases to verdict, judgment, or final decision. There is nothing in her background that will provide this body with any information as to how she will view the law and what she may or may not be inclined to do as an appellate court judge. When examining a nominee, especially a nominee for the circuit court of appeals, I am looking for evidence in the nominee's history that will establish that the nominee is a constitutionalist.…
