First Black Female Judge to Serve on 9th Circuit Court

Just two days after the Congressional Black Caucus charged the Republican-controlled Senate with exhibiting racist and sexist tendencies in holding up President Clinton’s minority and female judicial appointments, senators approved the first black female judge for the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals. US District Judge Johnnie B. Rawlinson’s nomination to the appellate court post had been pending since February. The nomination of another black judge, James A. Wynn, Jr. for the all-white 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond continues to be held up by Senator Jess Helms (R-NC). Helms maintains that Senate Democrats stalled a nominee he favored in 1992 and, because of that, he has blocked hearings on Wynn’s qualifications despite the fact that there are four vacancies on the 15-member court for which Wynn has been nominated.