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To: jlallen who wrote (229023)	11/23/2007 10:20:14 AM
From: Bill	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 793957

Romney caved to judicial affirmative action... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Romney nominates four women to be judges By Brooke Donald, Associated Press Writer \| April 26, 2006 BOSTON --Gov. Mitt Romney, who has been criticized for a lack of diversity in his judicial nominations, recommended four women to be judges on Wednesday -- the largest number of female candidates nominated at one time in Massachusetts. Last year, the Women's Bar Association of Massachusetts blasted the Republican governor for what it described as a dismal record of boosting the number of women and minorities on the bench. According to the governor's office, 17 of Romney's 47 nominees to judge or clerk magistrate positions have been women: two in 2003, three in 2004, and six last year. This year the governor has nominated six so far, including the four Wednesday. "We would like the bench to reflect the diversity of the community at large," said Eric Fehrnstrom, the governor's spokesman. Fehrnstrom said the appointment of women to the bench has been a top priority for the administration, and Romney recently asked his Judicial Nominating Commission to recommend the names of more female and minority applicants. "It does take a concerted effort to get women on the bench. There was a lot of outreach to encourage more female applicants," Fehrnstrom said. Kathleen O'Connor, president of Women's Bar Association of Massachusetts, praised Romney for the slate of women nominations, but said it seemed like an 11th-hour effort to boost his numbers during his last year in office. "It does sound like catch-up," she said. "At least there has been enough attention brought to this matter and he has begun to pay attention. I hope he continues with the time he has left." If these latest nominations are confirmed, women will represent 36 percent of the appointments made by Romney for judicial office. His record would be on par with the state's two previous elected governors in terms of gender diversity in judicial nominations. About a third of William Weld's judicial appointments and about 40 percent of Paul Cellucci's were women. In her one year as acting governor, Jane Swift made 77 judicial appointments, 20 of them women, or about 26 percent. "I am pleased with the outstanding qualifications of the individuals I have nominated to the bench," Romney said. "They have the capability, the qualifications and the experience to be fair and balanced jurists." The nominees are Kathe Tuttman, of Andover, as associate justice of the Superior Court; Tracy Lyons, of Marblehead, as associate justice of the Brighton decision of the Boston Municipal Court; Therese Wright, of West Barnstable, as associate justice of the Edgartown District Court; and Merita Hopkins, of Boston, as associate justice of the Superior Court. A message left with the acting president of the Women's Bar Association wasn't immediately returned. boston.com © Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.