Miller's son left off judgeship, for now

Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr.’s son was left off a list of judicial appointments Gov. Martin O’Malley submitted this afternoon.

Thomas V. Miller III’s nomination for a judgeship swirled into a political firestorm earlier this summer after three members of the Anne Arundel Judicial Nominating Commission resigned, saying they felt too much pressure to include the Senate president’s son on the list of judicial nominees.

The Anne Arundel Judicial Nominating Council — which submits candidates for judgeships to the governor, and is largely appointed by the governor — did not include Miller III on its first list of candidates to fill three vacancies on the bench last year.

O’Malley drafted new rules requiring nominating commissions to submit three names for each vacancy, and Miller III was included on Anne Arundel’s list the second time it was submitted to the governor.

Aides to O’Malley and Miller could not be reached for comment immediately.

It might not be the last call for Miller III, however. Candidate’s submitted by the nominating commission may be appointed to fill a vacancy up to two years after they were nominated. That gives Miller III up through March 2010, presumably while O’Malley is still in office.

— Tom LoBianco, Maryland politics reporter, The Washington Times


—-
Check my blog LoBianco on Maryland for updates and breaking news.