A.G. Gancarski
The Governor who will fill U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio’s vacant Senate seat is blasting that body for approving a “leftist” judicial nominee, and is blaming Republicans for not pushing back.
The nominee brings diversity to the appellate bench, but Gov. Ron DeSantis’ objections are ideological.
“This leftist judge would have been voted down and the seat on the important 11th circuit would have been filled by Donald Trump next year had Republicans showed up. Now, the leftist judge will have a lifetime appointment and the people of FL, AL and GA will suffer the consequences,” DeSantis said in a post on the X social media platform.
Senators approved Embry Kidd on a 49-45 vote. But five Republicans missed the vote. That includes Rubio, who is Donald Trump’s pick for Secretary of State, and Vice President-elect JD Vance, who could be a DeSantis opponent in the 2028 Republican Presidential Primary race.
The Governor amplified criticisms from Matt Whitlock for his post, which included assertions that Kidd had “written that laws against child rape are racist” and “hid 2 previous decisions where he gave lenient sentences to child predators from the Senate.”
Kidd is only the second Black man confirmed to an appellate court judgeship in the last decade, as Bloomberg reports. Floridians will get to know him better than most, as he will be based out of Tampa.
A graduate of Emory College and Yale Law School, Kidd became a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Orlando Division of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida on July 25, 2019. Prior to that, he was a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, Orlando Division, where he focused on white collar-crimes and corruption cases, among others.
DeSantis is working to fill the Rubio opening in the Senate, with vetting ongoing now. He has vowed to pick a Rubio replacement within the next couple of months, and said it will be a person who is “aligned with Trump.”
Undoubtedly, though, willingness to show up for votes will be another consideration.
6 comments
Larry Gillis, Libertarian (Cape Coral)
November 19, 2024 at 8:59 am
SENATE VACANCY: APPOINT A LIBERTARIAN
In addition to all of the usual suspects, the Governor should consider appointing a Libertarian to fill the upcoming vacancy in the US Senate. My Party (the Libertarian Party of Florida) offered a nominee this Fall, Feena Bonoan. She should definitely be looked at.
Libertarians offer a fresh perspective on the uses of governmental power, where “freedom” is always the default choice. The actual use of the coercive powers of government is a desperate last choice, only used in extremis. This viewpoint should certainly be seated at the table in Washington. It should be Florida’s contribution to the ongoing dialogue on this important question.
Frankly, I suspect that the Governor’s priorities may well lie elsewhere. He will probably appoint some deserving apparatchik. However — to be complete and thorough about all this — he should at least “inventory all the possibilities” before making a final decision. That would include Feena.
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cassandra was right
November 19, 2024 at 11:23 am
Paul Passarelli ???
George
November 19, 2024 at 10:40 am
Dear Gov. DeSantis: Shove it.
Along for the Ride
November 19, 2024 at 11:15 am
Thank you!
Along for the Ride
November 19, 2024 at 11:15 am
Good I’m Glad this guy was appointed. I’m happy the courts have different minds with different ideas and out looks on life.