MEDIA RELEASE: For Friday, April 8, 2011
CONTACT:   Dan McLaughlin , 202.224.1679 (Nelson)
                     Joe Pounder, 202.224.3041 (Rubio)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Florida’s two U.S. senators Friday released the makeup of a revamped statewide panel that’s charged with selecting nominees for presidential appointments to federal judgeships, U.S. attorneys and U.S. marshals.

The state’s two senators revamped the membership of the Florida Judicial Nomination Commission (JNC) to account for the election of Sen. Marco Rubio. Under the JNC’s rules, the 64-member commission recommends candidates to the state’s two senators. The senators then interview and forward the names to the White House, unless they object to a specific candidate’s appointment.

“It’s long been the tradition of Florida’s senators to work together and keep politics out of the process of selecting candidates for judicial post,” U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson said today.

“This commission will be fundamental to finding qualified men and women for consideration and vetting by the Senate,” said Rubio.

Tampa lawyer John Fitzgibbons, who was selected two years ago to lead the statewide panel, will continue to hold the post. Fitzgibbons is a former assistant U.S. attorney in the Middle District of Florida.      

The JNC is divided into three geographic conferences, one for each judicial district. The first order of business for the JNC likely will be recommending replacements for Judge Alan S. Gold of the Southern District of Florida, Judge Richard A. Lazzara of the Middle District of Florida and Chief United States District Judge Stephan P. Mickle of the Northern District of Florida.   Gold retired in January. Mickle and Lazzara are set to retire in June and December, respectively. 

Following are the members of the JNC.

John Fitzgibbons (Statewide Chair)

Northern District
Linda Shelley (chair)
Silvia Alderman
Nancy Aliff
Jim Appleman
John Aurell
Duby Ausley
Martha Barnett
Philip Bates
Christopher Chestnut
William Harrison
Melanie Ann Hines
Don Hinkle
William Large
Doug Mannheimer
Jon Mills
Daryl Parks
Danny Ponce
Buzz Ritchie
Don Rubottom 
Leander Shaw
Bentina Terry

Middle District
Wayne Hogan (Chair)
Tyler Cathey
Steve Cheeseman
Daniel DeCubellis
WC Gentry
Dan Gerber
Nat Glover
Jonathan Kilman 
Mike Maher
Susan McCaskill
Trudy McKibbe Reed
Ben Newman 
Hugh Normile
Steve Pajcic
Marsha Santana Rydberg
Carol Saviak
Harry Shorstein
Bruce Smathers
Bruce Strayhorn
Bill Wilson
Gwynne Young

Southern District
Kendall Coffey (Chair)
Georgina Angones
Reginald Clyne
Vivian de las Cuevas-Diaz
Al Dotson
Philip Frieden
John Genovese
Carrie Goodman
Evelyn Greer
Cynthia Johnson-Stacks
Manny Kadre
Eduardo Lacasa
Ira Leesfield
Dexter Lehtinen     
Chuck Lichtman
Richard Lydecker
Tom Panza
David Prather 
Dennis Richard
Jon A. Sale
Chris Searcy