Rawlinson breezes through Senate

Paul Kane

Thursday, March 26, 1998 | 12:01 p.m.

WASHINGTON -- Chief Deputy District Attorney Johnnie Rawlinson cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday by a unanimous vote, sending her nomination for U.S. District Court judge in Nevada to the full Senate.

Rawlinson, who appeared before the committee last week, needs 51 votes to be confirmed, and that could come in the next few weeks.

Rawlinson's nomination drew no opposition from members of the committee, which has been slow to approve nominees considered too liberal. But the conservative wing of the committee hasn't opposed Rawlinson, and Hatch last week praised her and the four other nominees she appeared with as he promised to move them through the committee "as quickly as we can."

Now, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott is in charge of finding time in a cramped schedule to move judicial nominations to the Senate floor. If Lott can't find time for nominations before the April 3 Easter recess date, the Senate would not be likely to vote on Rawlinson until late April or possibly early March.

"With the support we have seen so far, I am hopeful that she will be confirmed quickly by the Senate," said Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.

When they introduced Rawlinson to the Judiciary Committee, Reid and Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., hailed the prosecutor for her trailblazing spirit and a tough work ethic.

Reid called the prosecutor "the best person for the job", and Bryan predicted "she will be a very fine and capable District Court judge."

If confirmed, Rawlinson will be the first black woman to serve on the federal bench in Nevada.

Reid said Thursday that filling the vacancy as quickly as possible was important for Nevada, which with its fast growth has also seen a growing caseload for federal judges.

"I think the members of the committee recognized the critical importance of filling this vacancy," he added.