Senator’s Son Gets Judgeship Despite Unqualified Finding
The Senate confirmed the son of Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) for a federal judgeship Thursday, setting aside a finding by the American Bar Assn. that he is unqualified.
The confirmation of David Bunning, 35, as a U.S. district judge in the Eastern District of Kentucky along with James Gritzner of Iowa for a district court judgeship in his home state and Richard Leon of Maryland for a seat in Washington, D.C., came by voice vote.
The nominations were approved without debate.
After investigating Bunning’s qualifications, the American Bar Assn. told the Senate Judiciary Committee that Bunning was not fit for the lifetime post.
Bunning, an assistant U.S. attorney in eastern Kentucky, is two years short of the 12 years of experience the ABA recommends for federal judges.
President Bush selected the younger Bunning to be a judge for the Eastern District of Kentucky in August.
Bunning said his work as a Kentucky prosecutor prepared him for a federal judgeship.
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