Murray and Cantwell threaten to block Bush’s judicial nominee

By Katherine Pfleger

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — President Bush on Wednesday nominated Tacoma lawyer Ronald Leighton to be a federal district judge in Western Washington, over the protests of the state’s U.S. senators, who have complained they were excluded from the selection process.

Democratic Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell have promised to block the nomination with procedural moves unless the White House uses a bipartisan commission to find a replacement for Judge Robert Bryan at the U.S. District Court in Tacoma.

Murray said she will put a hold on Leighton’s nomination — a maneuver that would prevent the Senate from voting on a judge.

Her spokesman, Todd Webster, said Murray has been "crystal clear" that any nominee must come from a commission made up of Republicans and Democrats.

Though the nomination appeared headed for a deadlock, a senior White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the administration is hopeful Leighton will be approved.

Murray and Cantwell have been sparring with the White House for nearly a year about how the opening would be filled. At the White House’s direction, Rep. Jennifer Dunn, R-Wash., formed a Republican selection committee, even though the senators considered the negotiations ongoing.

In a phone interview, Leighton said he asked to be considered because he would love the job, but was cautious about how his nomination would work out.

"The process is a difficult one and fraught with issues that don’t involve me," he said.

Leighton is a partner with the Seattle-area law firm of Gordon Thomas Honeywell Malanca Peterson &Danheim.