Few appear to know of group at center of judicial nomination
WASHINGTON — Pittsburgh attorney David Porter told the Senate Judiciary Committee in a questionnaire that he was a member of the Pennsylvania Judicial Network, but when Democrats grilled him about it last week, he distanced himself from the group that opposed the nomination of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
Democrats partly base their opposition to Mr. Porter’s nomination to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on his connection to that group, but now it’s unclear whether the Pennsylvania Judicial Network ever did anything at all.
An online search turns up only a single news release announcing the group’s formation and listing its 10 founding members. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reached seven, none of whom recognized
the name of the group. And none remembers signing up for it or joining any coalition opposing the nomination in 2009 of Justice Sotomayor.
Mr. Porter testified last week that his own involvement was limited to a 15-second phone call during which he agreed to participate in a second call that never occurred.
“I have no recollection” of the group, said former U. S. Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa. “It’s hard for me to believe I would have been engaged. I didn’t support [Sotomayor] but I always believed that with judicial nominations, the president has pretty wide latitude.”
Bruce Castor, the former Montgomery County district attorney now in private practice, doesn’t remember the group, either.
“I can’t believe I was ever strongly enough opposed to a Supreme Court nomination to participate in something like that,” he said.
Others who do not recall the group are former state Rep. Paul Clymer, R-Bucks County; former state GOP Chairman Rob Gleason; Erie attorney Timothy Wachter; Pennsylvania Family Council vice president Thomas J. Shaheen; and Charlene Bashore, formerly of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Conference. Two others listed as original members could not be reached Monday.
“If I was a founding memberof the Pennsylvania Judicial Network, I think I would remember that,” Mr. Wachtersaid. Democrats including U.S. Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania oppose Mr. Porter’s confirmation, in part because of his purported connection to the Pennsylvania Judicial Network.
Email messages to the address listed on the 2009 news release bounced back. Athan Koutsiouroumbas, a GOP political consultant listed as the group’s spokesman, did not return a phone call.
The news release indicated that the Pennsylvania Judicial Network was working in partnership with the Judicial Confirmation Network, a national conservative activist group that later changed its name to Judicial Crisis Network. The Judicial Crisis Network declined to comment Monday.
Mr. Porter did not respond to a request for comment. Nominees seldom speak publicly about anything while they are awaiting confirmation. Despite his testimony last week, he had indicated in a written Judiciary Committee questionnaire that he was a member of the group in 2009.
“He definitely is misleading the Senate Judiciary Committee if he is saying he only had a 15-second involvement yet he lists it on his questionnaire. Who does that?” said Kadida Kenner, campaign director of Why CourtsMatter Pennsylvania.
“We’re concerned because he listed himself as being involved in an organization that spoke out against the confirmation of Justice Sotomayor, an organization that is far-right extremist,” Ms. Kenner said. “We’re very concerned.”
Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee are likely to try to sort it all out this week as they submit questions for Mr. Porter’s written responses ahead of their committee vote. Their questions are due Wednesday. There is no hard deadline for Mr. Porter’s responses.
President Donald Trump nominated Mr. Porter to the 3rd Circuit in April over Mr. Casey’s objections. U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., supports the nomination.
Mr. Porter lives in Bradford Woods and is a shareholder in the Pittsburgh office of Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney. He has practiced law for more than 23 years, specializing in commercial litigation, constitutional litigation and regulatory matters.
The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals hears federal cases on appeal from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and the Virgin Islands. PORTER, FROM B-1