Two area judges among nominees for federal posts

Wednesday, May 2, 2001 | 11:20 a.m.

Two Southern Nevada judges, a Las Vegas attorney and a Reno attorney who previously was nominated for a federal judge post were nominated today to fill two federal judgeships in Nevada.

Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., chose the four Republicans, from which President George W. Bush will select two.

This is the second time around for the lone Northern Nevada candidate, former Washoe County District Attorney Larry Hicks. Hicks' name was submitted under the presidency of Bush's father, George Bush. But when the elder Bush lost to Democrat Bill Clinton in 1992, Cannon's name was withdrawn, an Ensign spokeswoman said today prior to a news conference in Washington to announce the choices.

Rounding out the list of nominees are District Judges Mark Gibbons and Jim Mahan, both of whom serve in Clark County, and Las Vegas attorney Walter Cannon.

The top choices of Gibbons and Mahan surprised few today. In mid-February, Gibbons told the Sun that he had been contacted by Ensign and that a formal interview would take place the next week. Gibbons also said Ensign had contacted Mahan and had set up a formal interview with him as well.

As the senator of the president's party, Ensign has the privilege of recommending candidates for federal positions in the state. In March, Ensign said he was working "as quickly as possible" to recommend two federal judges for the U.S. District Court in Nevada.