I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
Sen. Jeff Bingaman announced his support for President Barack Obama’s choice of Solicitor General Elena Kagan to replace John Paul Stevens on the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday, while Sen. Tom Udall praised her qualifications without exactly saying he supported Kagan.
“After closely examining her record, last year I joined a bipartisan group of senators who supported Elena Kagan for the position of Solicitor General. Ms. Kagan has demonstrated sound judgment and exhibited great skill in that key position, as well as in many other challenging jobs she has held. She is also highly regarded in the legal community. I look forward to supporting her nomination,” Bingaman said.
“Elena Kagan is regarded as one of the nation’s leading legal minds,” Udall said. “She has proven to be a very able litigator and has received high praise from across the political spectrum throughout her career. I’m pleased that President Obama has selected such a capable, well-regarded candidate and I look forward to learning more about her judicial philosophy as the confirmation process unfolds.”
Supreme Court justices are nominated for life.
Already, Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., has said that he will not support Kagan’s nomination, citing her lack of judicial experience.
If confirmed by the Senate, Kagan would be the 41st Supreme Court Justice with no judicial experience. She would be the first confirmed since Justice William Rehnquist in 1971; Rehnquist later became Chief Justice.
The White House sent out a fact-sheet along with the remarks by Obama and Kagan, which is embedded below.
