The Trump administration wants the former attorney of Governor Doug Ducey on the federal bench.
In his 19th wave of judicial nominees, the U.S. President Donald Trump revealed his intention to nominate Michael Liburdi to serve as district judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona.
Liburdi, of Scottsdale, is known as a conservative attorney who is famous for his expansive view of corporate money in political campaigns. As an attorney at Greenberg Traurig LLP, his practice niche is complex commercial and constitutional litigation, as well as campaign finance and election procedure compliance. He also is serving as an adjunct professor of law at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, and he teaches election law there.
Liburdi was Governor Ducey’s general counsel during his first term, and he is known for the advice he rendered on judicial appointments, legal strategy, and policy. He is best known outside of the state capitol and in the legal circles for his contribution to governor’s 2016 education-funding proposal, known as Proposition 123. He also has worked in the state-tribal gaming compacts.
Before he was working for Governor Ducey’s gubernatorial administration, he represented Ducey in his 2014 campaign.
Michael Liburdi was not available for comment after the selection by the Trump administration.
It should be reported here that Liburdi had studied law at Arizona State University and started his career working as a clerk to then-Vice Chief Justice Ruth McGregor of the Arizona Supreme Court.
Recently President Trump and the Republicans dominated Senate have confirmed dozen of judges to the federal bench.
Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond in Virginia, said that the Senate along with President Trump has been successful in giving appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court and the circuit-court level, but they have been slower to nominate and confirm district court judges.
It is yet to be ascertained how Arizona’s Democratic U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema will react to the nomination. She was not available for comment at that moment. But newly appointed Republican U.S. Sen. Martha McSally of Arizona will support the nomination and praised the choice of Liburd by the Trump administration.
McSally said in a statement that Former Senators John McCain, Jeff Flake, and Jon Kyl had previously recommended Liburdi’s name to the post and she has done her job with the White House to make this happen. She also added that his valuable experience in private practice and as general counsel to Governor Ducey, she was confident that Mr. Liburdi would make an excellent federal judge. She hoped that he would be confirmed quickly.
It should be reported here that each senator has the power to veto the nomination. It is being implemented by the Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. by a 100-years old convention. If anyone of the Senators signs off on the nomination process which is called “blue slip” process, there will not be any hearing of the nomination. However, it should be expected to be cleared soon without any political animosity.
