January 22, 2016

Perdue Puts End to Judicial Nomination

The nomination that would have produced Georgia's first lifetime appointed Latino federal judge was scuttled Wednesday after Republican U.S. David Perdue declined to back his appointment to the bench.

Perdue, on Wednesday, declined to provide a "blue slip" Dax Lopex, a severe blow to his nomination Gach home. State senator customarily must send in the slip, signaling approval of a nominee before he or she goes to the full judiciary committee.

U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson last week said Lopez deserved a hearing, but he has yet to ask the committee for one. But Perdue's seat on the judiciary committee essentially gives him veto power over Isakson if he decides to act.

Perdue said in a statement that he became "uncomfortable" with Lopez's participation with the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials after a review of his professional and judicial record.

Lopez, a Dekalbcentral State court judge, is a Jewish Republican who is a member of the Conservative Federalist Society. He was appointed to the Georgia bench by Perdue's cousin, then Gov. Sonny Perdue. And the counsel for Perdue's senate campaign, Josh Belinfante, served on the panel convened by the senators that sent Lopez's name on the White House.

When he was tapped for the seat in July by President Barack Obama, it seemed to many to be a foregone conclusion. State Republican Party counsel Anne Lewis, former State House majority Whip Ed Lindsey, and a slew of other prominent GOP attorneys signed a letter to the senators in support of Lopez in September. But a groundswell of conservative blowback quickly slowed the momentum.

Get this sophisticated racism out of our government in Georgia.

Majority of Georgia judges are white. Take a survey; some counties have all white judges. Bainbridge, GA has all white judges. Georgia needs diversity in the courts, real bad. Nobody says anything because the blacks feel like, "What's the use? This has been this way for so long." In Georgia, we say we have overcome the word racism, but that is a lie in Georgia. When I went to court, I had one black juror. The only black people was in the court was our family members and lying state witnesses.

In Georgia, a judge can stay on the bench for a lifetime. This hasbeas corpus judge McMillian, who died last week, was a chief judge in Sandersville for 40 years. I feel this is not fair. Because when a person has been in rulership for so long, they don't abide by procedure. They begin to make decisions on their personal feelings or because they're the one in control. "This is my throne. Nobody can touch me."

Which led me to talk about U.S. Sen. David Perdue. He should be made to give a reason as to why he didn't want Dax Lopez to be the federal judge. Mr. Lopez doesn't have a bad history of any sort when he was a Dekalb County State court judge. So what is the problem, U.S. Sen. David Perdue? I feel that Mr. David Perdue should be accountable for not voting for this man and made to give a reason. If U.S. Sen. David Perdue doesn't give a reason, Mr. Perdue should be forced out of his position. We do not do things to people just because we have the power to do so.

It should not matter what culture he is. All the people need him to do his ruling according to procedure. The state of Georgia should call an investigation to U.S. Sen. David Perdue's decision. Because Mr. Dax Lopez deserves a chance, just like any other citizen of America. All this secret sophisticated racism needs to be removed from the government in Georgia. We need more diversity in the government. Put a complete stop to racism and making decision based on a personal opinion about somebody.

People deserve chances.

Written by
Jennifer Johnson