Howard Bashman just got a boner.

I doubt this has anything to do with Noel Hillman, who has an excellent reputation. It's just politics, that's all.

Hillman is young (51). He will probably get elevated to the Third Circuit eventually (if the Republicans retake the White House in the next ten yars or so).

Even though the rest of us see NJ as one dirty state with a turnpike, there's actually a big north/south political divide. I know the politicians in the South (defined for these purposes as Trenton on down) have long griped that they're owed a 3d Circuit appointment. (All 3 active NJ judges are from the North, with the 2 senior ones being south.) That could have gotten in the way.

Now I'm stroking it, feels so good...

Noel Hillman was head of the Department of Justice's Office of Public Integrity, which handled the Jack Abramoff probe and all of the corruption probes.

1:33, it'll be short lived, once he realizes that this is about a NJ seat.

2:04, ewwwww

Yep. He was. And then he was approached by the administration to take a chillax on ol' Jack and seat on the bench instead... How sad...

Go Ron GO!!!!!

RON HEDGES for 3rd. Cir.

2:03, you're correct re: N/S Jersey divide as a factor -- but Hillman sits in Camden (in the South) and would be only current CA3 judge w/ that duty station. So that's working in his favor, if southern political forces are weighing in.

I think it might have more to do w/ reluctance to appoint frmr DOJ heavyweight in this climate. But who knows?

Months ago, Lat/UTR reported Jerry Simandle as a 3CA possibility. He's a DNJ judge in Camden, Bush I nominee, spent yrs as a magistrate, non-political. I always thought he'd be an swift confirm.

Ron Hedges for the 3rd. Cir.!!!

2:03, you're correct re: N/S Jersey divide as a factor -- but Hillman sits in Camden (in the South) and would be only current CA3 judge w/ that duty station. So that's working in his favor, if southern political forces are weighing in.

I think it might have more to do w/ reluctance to appoint frmr DOJ heavyweight in this climate. But who knows?

Months ago, Lat/UTR reported Jerry Simandle as a 3CA possibility. He's a DNJ judge in Camden, Bush I nominee, spent yrs as a magistrate, non-political. I always thought he'd be an swift confirm.

Are circuit court seats necessarily assigned by state, or is it just customany? I have always been under the impression that it's the latter.

good call, 4:10, and thanks for the politeness of your benchslap. Saw Seton Hall and jumped to conclusions. And it is customary, tending to be followed more strictly in a circuit with less seats (noncompliance it a very good way to piss off two senators forever and they do have the unwritten silver bullet to prevent any nomination for years, ala Jesse Helms)

What about relatively new District Judge Renee Bumb? She is young, smart, in the south, and not "tainted" by Main Justice problems (was in the USAO-NJ, but no DC stint like Hillman).

4:42: Nice try Renee, get back to work!

4:13, it's customary. Presidents usually don't break with this custom without some explanation for it.

To build on what 2:06 (yesterday) wrote, Hillman was Chief of the Criminal Division's Public Integrity Section at DOJ. The Post reported three weeks ago that the Abramoff task force had begun an investigation into whether former Criminal Division deputy Chief of Staff Robert Coughlin had sought or received improper benefits from Abramoff colleague Kevin Ring. Coughlin resigned on April 6, and is only the second DOJ lawyer to have his name publicly come up in the Abramoff probe. Maybe details on this would have arisen in Hillman confirmation hearings.