Money and judges aren’t soon parted. While poring over state judicial campaign contributions, I happened to hear from one of the members of the black legal community who thinks blacks have been getting the short end of the stick on federal appointments from Democratic Sens. Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor. The only two black federal judges in Arkansas currently were Republican appointments, they note.
With four judgeships, two U.S. attorney jobs and two federal marshal jobs available for Democrats under the political spoils system, it’s beginning to look like black Arkansans will go 0-8. And, what’s more galling to them, one of the white appointees seems likely to be a Texan.
The latest word is that credential review teams are looking at Texas-based federal Magistrate Caroline Craven (she is an Arkansas native) for the western district judgeship from which Harry Barnes of Camden has retired. Carlton Jones, a black Texarkana lawyer, had undergone review for the position. But the White House has apparently changed direction.
Why?