President Joe Biden has put forth Kevin Ritz, the distinguished federal prosecutor in Memphis, Tennessee, as his nominee for a judgeship on the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, eliciting immediate resistance from one of the state’s Republican senators.
Ritz, who has served as the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee since 2022, boasts a lengthy career in prosecution spanning back to 2005. If confirmed, he would assume the position on the Cincinnati-based federal appeals court presently held by U.S. Circuit Judge Julia Smith Gibbons, an appointee of former Republican President George W. Bush, whom Ritz once clerked for.
However, Senator Marsha Blackburn swiftly voiced opposition to Ritz’s nomination, underscoring the absence of consultation with Tennessee senators regarding the selection process. Blackburn, along with Senator Bill Hagerty, expressed disappointment at the White House’s unilateral decision-making, straying from the longstanding tradition of senatorial input on judicial nominees from their home state.
While the White House remained silent on Blackburn’s remarks, this nomination saga adds to the recent tension between the administration and Tennessee’s Republican senators. Blackburn and Hagerty had previously contested the nomination of Andre Mathis to the same court, highlighting a recurring pattern of discord over judicial appointments.
In parallel developments, Biden unveiled nominations for trial court judges across various states, including Brian Murphy for Massachusetts, Rebecca Pennell for Washington, Jeannette Vargas for New York, and Detra Shaw-Wilder for Florida. These nominations underscore the administration’s broader efforts to reshape the federal judiciary.
As the nomination process unfolds, it remains to be seen how Ritz’s candidacy will fare amidst partisan wrangling and procedural hurdles in the Senate.
