The clash over Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s nomination of nine Superior Court judges was still not resolved Monday night – throwing Tuesday’s meeting of the judiciary committee into jeopardy.
As of 8:30 p.m. Monday, the issue was up in the air, said Rep. Michael P. Lawlor, the committee’s longtime co-chairman.
“If they work it out, we’ll have a meeting” Tuesday, Lawlor told Capitol Watch in a telephone interview. “If they don’t work it out, then we probably won’t have a meeting. … They’re either going to have a deal or not. If there’s no filibustering, we can have an orderly meeting.”
The clash Monday led to the abrupt cancelation of the House session – thus pushing bills back on the calendar as the legislature races toward its state-mandated adjournment of midnight May 5 for the regular session. Both the House and Senate are scheduled to be in session Tuesday.
Besides budget problems, lawmakers raised the issue of a lack of racial diversity among Rell’s nominees – who are all white.
“The Black and Puerto Rican Caucus feels if you’re nominating 10 judges, at least one minority should be in the mix,” Lawlor said.