The Nominee: A Political and Spiritual Journey
Houston, Texas 77002
Houston Student Chapter
Speaker:
- Hon. Leslie H. Southwick, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Speaker:
- Hon. Leslie H. Southwick, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Judge Southwick will discuss his new book, The Nominee: A Political and Spiritual Journey.
President George W. Bush nominated Leslie H. Southwick in 2007 to the federal appeals court, Fifth Circuit, based in New Orleans. Initially, Southwick seemed a consensus nominee. But just days before his confirmation hearing, a progressive advocacy group distributed the results of research it had conducted on opinions of the state court on which he had served for twelve years.
Two opinions Southwick had signed off on but not written became the center of the debate over the next five months. One dealt with a racial slur by a state worker, the other with a child custody battle between a father and a bisexual mother. Apparent bipartisan agreement for a quick confirmation turned into a long set of battles in the Judiciary Committee, on the floor of the Senate, and in the media.
In early August, Senator Dianne Feinstein completely surprised her committee colleagues by supporting Southwick. Hers was the one Democratic vote needed to move the nomination to the full Senate. Then in late October, by a two-vote margin, he received the votes needed to end a filibuster. Confirmation followed.
Judge Southwick will discuss his new book, The Nominee: A Political and Spiritual Journey, in which he chronicles the struggles of his confirmation process and shares the perspective and growth he achieved while walking that difficult road.
Cost: $10 per person, $5 for government employees
Please RSVP by February 14. CLE credit requested. Seating is limited.