Leslie Joyce Abrams, an assistant U.S. attorney in Atlanta, was nominated by President Barack Obama Tuesday for a federal District Court judge’s post in Middle Georgia — and thrust into a political quagmire over the state’s judicial nominees.
Georgia Democrats, civil rights leaders and liberal groups have attacked the White House for a package of six pending judicial nominees that was negotiated with the input of Georgia’s two Republican senators.
Abrams, the sister of state House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams, was not pre-cleared by U.S. Sens. Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss, who would need to give the go-ahead for her to be considered in committee under Senate custom.
It’s unclear whether the nomination will help thaw White House relations with Georgia Democrats, who were livid about being shut out of previous negotiations with the senators and also were not consulted in advance on the Abrams pick. They wanted more African-American judges and have griped about conservative aspects of two of the previous nominees’ records.
The White House and other supporters cast Abrams as a well-qualified choice. In addition to being the first female federal judge in the Middle District if confirmed, Abrams could become the first African-American female federal judge in the state if the nomination of DeKalb County State Court Judge Eleanor Ross fails as part of the disputed package.
Abrams has been a federal prosecutor for four years, participating in nearly 100 cases, ranging from sex crimes against children to bank fraud. She also did community outreach for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including a partnership with the Urban League.
Before her time as a prosecutor, Abrams worked in civil and complex litigation with firms in Washington and Atlanta.
Ben Jealous, a former head of the NAACP, has known Leslie and Stacey Abrams since college. He recalled a case in Mississippi where Leslie Abrams’ work helped get a pardon for a juvenile who was charged with being a murder accomplice but was actually victimized by the killer.
“She also, quite frankly, has a range of experiences, from growing up the daughter of a librarian and a dock worker in southern Mississippi … to attending some of the greatest law schools and universities in the country and working right at the top of the profession ever since,” Jealous said. “That really allows somebody to empathize and understand a wide range of people in our society and their predicaments and what justice should look like in their case.”
U.S. Rep. David Scott, an Atlanta Democrat, has been the chief Congressional critic of the previous nominees. But Scott’s chief of staff, Michael Andel, praised Abrams: “She seems like a good solid pick.”
The previous nominees pending are Atlanta attorney Jill Pryor and District Court Judge Julie Carnes for the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals; and Ross, state Court of Appeals Judge Michael Boggs, attorney Mark Cohen (former chief of staff for Gov. Zell Miller) and Atlanta attorney Leigh Martin May for the Northern District of Georgia.
Boggs, in particular, has been under attack for his positions in the state House on abortion, same-sex marriage and keeping the Confederate battle emblem on the Georgia flag.
Liberal groups are pushing Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee to reject Boggs’ nomination, which would likely torpedo the whole deal.
Carl Tobias, a University of Richmond Law school professor who closely tracks the judicial nominee process, said the Abrams nomination could be a “helpful distraction” from the other fight and could sneak through this year if the White House pushes for her.
As for the other six nominees, Tobias said, “I don’t see any way out of this mess.”
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