Ga. Congressmen Ask President Not to Renominate Boggs

R. Robin McDonald
Daily Report, December 19, 2014

Two of Georgia's Democratic congressmen have written President Barack Obama asking him not to renominate Georgia Court of Appeals Judge Michael Boggs, whom they called "unfit to serve," to the U.S. District Court in Atlanta.

 

Representatives David Scott and Hank Johnson wrote the letter on Thursday after Boggs' nomination to the federal bench expired with the conclusion of the 113th Congress. Boggs' nomination has been stalled in the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee since his May confirmation hearing.

 

Noting that Boggs' nomination was "opposed by voters who are concerned about civil and reproductive rights," the two congressmen said the state appellate judge was nominated as part of a compromise deal between the White House and Georgia's Republican senators "that was created without any input from elected Democrats from the state or any minority or progressive associations."

 

The letter also highlighted complaints about Boggs that stalled his nomination, including his vote as a state legislator to publish online profiles of doctors who provided abortion services, votes to retain the Confederate battle emblem as part of the official state flag, and his introduction of a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

 

It also criticized Boggs for donating funds "to multiple partisan political campaigns and conservative advocacy groups" while he was a judge, saying that the contributions "raised questions about his unbiased decision-making as a judge and possible violations of state ethics rules."

 

Atlanta attorney Douglas Chalmers, Boggs' longtime campaign counsel, said he had spoken with Boggs after a call from the Daily Report, and they would not comment on the congressmen's letter.