President Barack Obama today nominated Diana Saldaña, a federal magistrate judge, to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas in Laredo, according to news releases from U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin. Drew Brandewie, a Cornyn aide, says the White House notified Cornyn’s office today about the nomination. Saldaña’s nomination is the first Obama has made to fill four vacancies on federal benches in Texas. Cornyn, who did not immediately return a telephone call for comment, writes in his release that he was proud to recommend Saldaña, who has been a magistrate judge in Laredo since 2006, to fill the vacancy left by her mentor, U.S. District Judge George Kazen, who took senior status in 2009. Cornyn notes in the release that Saldaña began her legal career as a law clerk to Kazen after graduating from the University of Texas School of Law in 1997. “I look forward to supporting her nomination and will urge my Senate colleagues to expedite a confirmation vote,” Cornyn writes. No one answered the phone in Doggett’s Washington, D.C., office, and no one immediately returned a message left at his district office in Austin. Doggett writes in his release, “Our Texas Democratic delegation recommended Judge Saldaña on July 31, 2009. With a distinguished record of service to South Texas, Judge Saldaña is an extremely qualified candidate, who should be quickly confirmed. I hope this announcement means we will see action very soon on the pending nominations in Texas for U.S. marshal, U.S. attorney and district judge.” Saldaña did not immediately return a telephone call for comment.
-- Mary Alice Robbins
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