The Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday morning approved the nomination of Connecticut’s Susan L. Carney to be a federal judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit. Carney is now deputy general counsel at Yale.
The committee tally was 16 in favor, two against. The two “no” votes were from Sens. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., and Tom Coburn, R-Okla. Neither made comments explaining their votes; the nomination was voted on without debate.
Carney’s name was first submitted by the White House last May and she was re-nominated earlier this year, after the last Congress failed to vote on her and a number of other judicial nominees.
Carney’s nomination will now go to the full Senate for a vote. No word yet on a replacement nominee to fill another vacancy on the 2nd Circuit. Connecticut District Court Judge Robert Chatigny had been the White House’s initial pick (on the recommendation of ex-Sen. Chris Dodd) but he withdrew his name amid opposition from Republicans.