Wednesday, June 27, 2018


Most experts are saying that Trump will interview 3-5 candidates for Kennedy's seat.  And most say that those include Brett Kavanaugh, Raymond Kethledge, Amul Thapur, and Amy Coney Barrett.  All highly qualified candidates.

But what about a Floridian?

Trump's list includes two Floridians: Florida Supreme Court Justice Charles Canady and former chief of the Southern District of Florida, Federico Moreno.  When Judge Moreno's name first surfaced on this last back in November, the blog covered it here.

He would be the first Supreme Court Justice to be a Floridian, Venezuelan, former practicing criminal defense lawyer, former assistant federal defender, and UM law grad.

Another name that is not on any of the lists, but should not be counted out is Secretary of Labor, Alex Acosta.  Acosta is the former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida.  More on that later.


Anonymous said...

What does it matter if the pick is from florida? Who cares? If you take that into consideration above things like, I dunno--merit, or the type of prior legal experience, aren't you being a total idiot? When you hire someone for your firm, do you take it into consideration that someone is not from florida? Are we now talking about geographical diversity, in addition to all the other diversity check marks we are already supposed to take into consideration above merit? Where does this end? Maybe we should next look to religious diversity? Should we try to get a mormon on the court? An atheist? A muslim?

What about a vegetarian? How many of the current scotus are vegetarians? Isn't it zero! For shame! I say before we check the Floridian box we check the vegetarian box.

This is so stupid.

Anonymous said...


In a country as big as ours, it would only make sense to be geographically diverse. All things being equal (at least in terms of merit), it can't hurt to have someone who is from Florida, or an atheist, or a vegetarian. I think you're making it a bigger deal than it really is.

Anonymous said...

Not stupid. David has home state pride. I'm sure both of you are carpet baggers coming down here to try cases.

Anonymous said...

Moreno is too old for the deranged donny to consider. He wants people in their 40s or 50s so they can serve for 30-40 years.

Atty John Cavicchi said...

Shouldn't an appointment to the federal judiciary require a native-born applicant?

In the interest of full disclosure, and, in my limited experience in SD FL, I was not impressed by Moreno, Martinez, and the 11th Circuit.

Weren't there enough qualified native-born Americans of any ethnicity, that the Bushes found it necessary to pick a couple for foreign-born nationals to a federal judgeship?

I returned my certificate of admission to the 11th Circuit a long time ago and asked that my name be removed from their rolls. In my opinion, it wasn't worth the $5.00 dues.

Anonymous said...

70 is too old.

Anonymous said...

Native-Born? What the heck does that have to do with the qualifications to be an Article III judge. A U.S. Citizen is a U.S. Citizen.

Anonymous said...

@5:02PM & @9:42 AM, being a "natural-born citizen" only matters under the Constitution to be President. It has nothing to do with candidacy to be a Supreme Court Justice--then again, neither does being a lawyer.

Anonymous said...


Why do you mention Martinez along with Moreno? How do you feel about Altonaga?

Just curious.

Anonymous said...

@3:13 Deranged but yet clever and logical seems to be your point?

Anonymous said...

5:21: maybe because Altonaga was born in Maryland? What a dumbass.You assume because she has a Hispanic surname she wasn't born in the US?

Cavichi is a total lunatic but get your facts straight.

Anonymous said...

Don't call it lunacy, call it what it is: racism.