As first reported by The Roanoke Times, the White House appears to be pushing a Charlottesville-based prosecutor for an open seat on the federal bench ahead of two judges already vetted by bar associations and green-lighted by the home-state U.S. Senators.
Hawes Spencer: University of Richmond law professor Carl Tobias says there's little to dislike about Thomas Cullen, who won hate crime convictions against four men including the notorious killer of anti-racist activist Heather Heyer.
Carl Tobias: He's been very aggressive and so far very successful in prosecuting white nationalists.
Spencer: Tobias says Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner are upset that President Trump could be trying to bypass a Senate-based vetting process.
Tobias: The easiest way to resolve this dispute is for Cullen to submit to the process, and then the Senators will have to make a decision.
The Western District federal judgeship has been considered open since late 2017 when Judge Glen Conrad went into semi-retirement.