Reid taps Riegle for federal bench

Kim Smith and Benjamin Grove

Friday, Feb. 18, 2000 | 11:05 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., today said he recommended U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Linda Riegle of Las Vegas to President Clinton to fill a bench slot on Nevada's U.S. District Court.

Reid had recommended attorney Eva Garcia-Mendoza for the position but she withdrew her name from nomination this week. Reid said Garcia-Mendoza cited family reasons.

"I was disappointed that Eva decided to drop out," Reid said. "This is the second time someone has dropped out on me."

U.S. Attorney Kathryn Landreth in August 1997 withdrew for personal reasons after Reid nominated her for a federal judgeship.

Garcia-Mendoza said this morning that as she began going through the process she decided a federal judgeship isn't what she wants at this point in her life.

"I decided I like what I'm doing," Garcia-Mendoza said. "My husband and I took a look at it and decided that it wasn't where we wanted our lives to go. It would cause changes that we didn't want at this time."

As for Reid's selection of Riegle, Garcia-Mendoza said it was a "great, great, great nomination." She recently saw Riegle in action and was impressed with how efficient and knowledgeable she was, Garcia-Mendoza said.

Riegle, an Ohio native, has been a bankruptcy judge in Las Vegas since 1988, chief bankruptcy judge from 1993 to 1999. In 1983 she became the first female partner at Las Vegas firm Lionel, Sawyer & Collins, where she practiced commercial and bankruptcy law. She graduated from Albany Law School in New York and is the author of several articles on bankruptcy law and other topics.

Reid said Riegle has a diverse background and that her experience on the bankruptcy bench would serve her well on the district court.

"In bankruptcy court they have jury trials," Reid said. "She's had significant courtroom experience."

Reid added, "I thought it was important to have a woman on the bench."

Although Riegle was in Washington, D.C., this morning and unavailable for comment, she released a statement through Reid's office that said "I'm honored and humbled that Senator Reid has forwarded my name to the president for such an important position."

Reid recommends candidates to Clinton as Nevada's senior senator. The Senate must approve all judge nominations made to Clinton.

The Republican-controlled Senate has tied up many of the nominations. A group of 19 conservatives led by Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., has vowed to block nominations because Clinton made temporary posts during Congress' winter recess.

But last week, Sen. Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., pushed for a vote and the Senate approved two judges.