Today's Date: March 29, 2024
101 Mobility® Eden Prairie: Leading the Way in Mobility and Accessibility Solutions   •   e.l.f. Cosmetics Debuts TikTok Shop Super Brand Day   •   Navigating Spring Break Sexual Health: Advice from Dr. Deb Laino Sex and Relationship Therapist and Powerful Life Coach   •   Midea Group releases its first-ever ESG brand story with an unexpected VIP visit highlighting its commitment to sustainability.   •   Navigating Birth Control: Expert Advice from Dr. Bana Kashani, OB-GYN   •   AMIGOS FOR KIDS LAUNCHES "THE MISSING REVIEW"   •   Committee for Children Now Offers a PreK-12 Full-Suite Solution with the Highly Anticipated Launch of Second Step® High Scho   •   Anaergia Announces Delay in the Filing of Its Audited Financial Statements and Related Disclosures   •   Walmart Connect Announced as Presenting Sponsor of the 2024 WIN Summit   •   Naropa University Launches Pioneering Psychedelic Minor     •   National University Receives 2024 Military Friendly® Gold Designation   •   Chosgo K23: One of the Best Bluetooth Hearing Aids for Seniors   •   Anaergia Announces Escrow Closing of Second Tranche of the Strategic Investment   •   Coachella Concerned That People Have Sex, Says AHF   •   World Class Dyslexia, Literacy, and Neuroscience Experts Gather with Educators for Two-Day Professional Learning Event   •   Charity Navigator Launches Women's Advocacy List for Women's History Month   •   Unique online yoga platform offers lifeline for menopausal women   •   Seniors Helping Seniors® In-Home Care Services Expands to North Houston   •   Re:wild and Colossal Biosciences team up to leverage revolutionary technology to save critically endangered species on the brink   •   Syngenta Group reports $32.2 billion sales and $4.6 billion EBITDA in 2023
Bookmark and Share

Senate Confirms 1st Asian Judge For CA Court

 WASHINGTON - The Senate has voted to confirm the nomination of Edward Milton Chen to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. He will become the first Asian-American judge in the history of that court.

“This is welcome news for an overworked federal bench that has waited almost two years for Judge Edward Chen’s confirmation,” said Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. “Judge Chen’s experiences – as a magistrate judge and author of more than 300 opinions, a community advocate, a small business owner, and the son of immigrants – combine to make him a well‐rounded candidate who will always seek to ensure just results for all litigants who appear before him.

“What’s troubling is that that it took so long to confirm such a well-qualified nominee to this position, which was designated as a “judicial emergency” by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.  With such impeccable qualifications and demonstrated need for his service, there was no legitimate reason that his confirmation to a judiciary-in-crisis should have taken this long.”

Judge Chen has served in the role of U.S. Magistrate Judge for 10 years, presiding over cases with a balanced and unbiased professionalism. His service has won him accolades from the American Bar Association -- including 10 of its past presidents -- local community organizations, and former prosecutors, including Republican Thomas P. Mazzucco, who praised Chen as a "fair, balanced and supremely competent jurist."

Judge Chen was first nominated to the court on August 7, 2009, and voted out of the Senate Judiciary Committee two months later. However, due to an unprecedented level of obstruction, Chen’s nomination languished for nearly two years, forcing President Obama to renominate him three times, most recently in January 2011.

The failure of the Senate to overcome obstructionist tactics of the minority party during the last two years has greatly increased the number of judicial vacancies on the federal courts.  Before today’s vote, there were 90 vacancies – 35 of which have been designated "judicial emergencies," by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts because they do not have enough judges to handle the caseload, including the seat to which Chen was confirmed, which has been vacant since April 2008.

A court with vacancies and increased workload means long delays for people seeking to enforce their rights or settle their legal disputes in court. In his statement, Henderson urged the Senate “to put partisanship aside and promptly provide up-or-down confirmation votes to every nominee recommended by the Senate Judiciary Committee.”


STORY TAGS: Asian News, Asian American News, Asian Pacific Islander News, Minority News, Civil Rights, Discrimination, Racism, Diversity, Racial Equality, Bias, Equality



Back to top
| Back to home page
Video

White House Live Stream
LIVE VIDEO EVERY SATURDAY
alsharpton Rev. Al Sharpton
9 to 11 am EST
jjackson Rev. Jesse Jackson
10 to noon CST


Video

LIVE BROADCASTS
Sounds Make the News ®
WAOK-Urban
Atlanta - WAOK-Urban
KPFA-Progressive
Berkley / San Francisco - KPFA-Progressive
WVON-Urban
Chicago - WVON-Urban
KJLH - Urban
Los Angeles - KJLH - Urban
WKDM-Mandarin Chinese
New York - WKDM-Mandarin Chinese
WADO-Spanish
New York - WADO-Spanish
WBAI - Progressive
New York - WBAI - Progressive
WOL-Urban
Washington - WOL-Urban

Listen to United Natiosns News