Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy met with the Republican and Democratic leaders of the State Senate this week in an effort to get his nominee for state chief justice confirmed. The nominee, State Supreme Court Associate Justice Andrew McDonald is a longtime friend and political ally of the Democratic governor, and is facing stiff opposition, mainly from Republicans.
Hearst Connecticut Media reports that because of that stiff opposition, the Malloy administration is offering to nominate Andrew Roraback, a former Republican State Senator from Goshen who is now a Superior Court judge, to fill a State Supreme Court seat. That’s if the State Senate confirms McDonald to be chief justice.
Senate Republican President Len Fasano, says he had a pleasant conversation with Malloy, but dismisses the suggestion.
“This issue is not about Andrew Roraback. This issue is whether or not Justice McDonald should be chief justice of the Supreme Court. Whether we are going to elevate him from justice to chief justice. That’s the issue that is before us and that’s the only issue before us.”
Because the chamber is evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats, and one Democratic Senator has recused herself from the vote, McDonald needs Republican support to win Senate confirmation. The Senate is to vote on McDonald’s nomination next Tuesday.
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