Page 12 - HOH

A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 14 March 2019

Senate confirms White House official Rao for appeals court

sexual assault. ties expressed concerns her confirmation hearing
White House official Neomi about her past writings, that she and Trump have
Rao won confirmation to particularly on date rape successfully pushed dereg-
a seat on the U.S. Circuit and other sexual assault. As ulation that "gets govern-
Court of Appeals for the a Yale undergraduate Rao ment out of the way" and
District of Columbia Cir- suggested that intoxicated helps small businesses and
cuit on a straight party-line women were partly respon- other companies create
vote, 53-46. No Republi- sible for date rape. She also jobs.
can opposed Rao, and no criticized affirmative ac- Senate Judiciary Commit-
Democrat supported her. tion and questioned equal tee Chairman Lindsey Gra-
Rao, 45, heads the White rights for women and gay ham, R-S.C., called Rao
House Office of Informa- people. "an outstanding choice"
tion and Regulatory Af- Rao has distanced herself to serve on the District of
fairs, where she plays a key from language she used as Columbia Circuit, widely
role in Trump's efforts to roll a college student, saying considered the nation's
back federal rules and reg- at her confirmation hearing second-most important
In this Feb. 5, 2017 file photo, Neomi Rao, President Donald
Trump's nominee for a seat on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, ulations. She also worked in that she cringes at some federal court, below only
appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee for her confir- the George W. Bush White of the language she used the Supreme Court.
mation hearing, on Capitol Hill in Washington. House but has never tried in opinion articles she said "She is an expert on ad-
Associated Press a case in state or federal were intended to be pro- ministrative law and has a
court. vocative. sound, conservative judi-
By MATTHEW DALY Associ- ald Trump's nominee to Trump nominated Rao for Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, who cial philosophy that one
ated Press replace Brett Kavanaugh the seat left vacant when recently revealed she was would expect from a Re-
WASHINGTON (AP) — The on a high-profile appeals Kavanaugh joined the Su- raped in college, called publican nominee for such
Senate on Wednesday court, despite concerns preme Court last fall. Rao's 1990's opinion pieces an important position," Gra-
confirmed President Don- about her past writings on Lawmakers from both par- "absolutely abhorrent and ham said.
reprehensible at best," but But California Sen. Dianne
said she was reassured af- Feinstein, the panel's top
ter Rao wrote a letter to Democrat, said Rao has a
senators repudiating her "troubling and aggressive
past views. record" on deregulation,
Ernst and other Republicans particularly on rules that
said Rao was qualified de- protect health and the en-
spite her lack of courtroom vironment. As head of the
experience. Rao's work on regulatory office, Rao "has
federal regulations qualifies taken a buzz saw to pro-
her for the District of Colum- tections for women's health
bia circuit, which handles and for sexual assault vic-
many administrative ap- tims on college campuses,"
peals of executive branch added Sen. Ron Wyden, D-
actions, Ernst said. But she Ore. Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin,
and other Republicans said the second-ranking Demo-
they might view Rao differ- crat, said Rao has "minimal
ently if she is nominated to practical experience in the
the Supreme Court. law" and legal views that
Rao, widely seen as a fu- are "beyond extreme."
ture candidate for the Addressing Trump from the
high court, is a member of Senate floor, Durbin asked:
the conservative Federal- "Isn't there a good Repub-
ist Society. The legal policy lican conservative some-
group has played a key where who's actually been
role in Trump's judicial nom- in a courtroom, actually
inations, including Kavana- made an appearance in a
ugh's elevation to the high case, maybe even tried a
court. case or filed a motion and
Democrats staunchly op- would know a courthouse if
posed Rao, citing her lack they saw it and on not on
of trial experience and TV? Is that too much to ask
publicly stated pride at roll- for a lifetime appointment
ing back federal rules on to the second-highest court
Trump's behalf. Rao said at in the land?"q