Obama Terms Srikanth Srinivasan as his 'Favourite' Person
Washington: U.S. President Barack Obama has described Indian-origin lawyer Srikanth Srinivasan, who created history by becoming a top federal judge, as one of his "favourite" persons.
"I was proud to nominate Sri, and he was just confirmed unanimously to become the first South Asian American federal appeals court judge," Obama said addressing at a White House reception held to celebrate the month of Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) last evening.
"I was telling his kids, who are here today, if he starts getting a big head, walking around the house with a robe asking them to call him 'Your Honor' then they should talk to me," Obama said amidst laughter.
Media reports suggest Obama might consider nominating Srikanth Srinivasan, one of his favorite legal luminaries, for the Supreme Court judge in case of the next vacancy on the bench.
Last week, Srinivasan was confirmed by the US Senate (97-0) votes as a judge on the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, which is considered as the top court of the country after the Supreme Court. He is the first Indian American to achieve the feat.
Obama, in his speech, also singled out Indian-American musician, producer and composer Karsh Kale, who was invited by the White House along with others for a performance on the occasion.
Sri Srinivasan Confirmed Unanimously to D.C. Circuit Court
Principal Deputy Solicitor General of the United States Srikanth Srinivasan (2nd from right) visits with (l-r) Sen. Mark Warner, Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Patrick Leahy and Sen. Tim Kaine before Srinivasan's confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill April 10, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Getty Images)
- United States
On a 97-0 vote by the U.S. Senate, India-born, Kansas-raised Srikanth "Sri" Srinivasan was confirmed May 23 to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, often called the country's second most powerful court and considered a fast track to a U.S. Supreme Court appointment.
In a statement, President Obama called Srinivasan, 46, "a trailblazer who personifies the best of America. Born in Chandigarh, India, and raised in Lawrence, Kansas, Sri spent nearly two decades as an extraordinary litigator before serving as principal deputy solicitor general of the United States."
"Now he will serve with distinction on the federal bench. Sri will in fact be the first South Asian American to serve as a circuit court judge in our history."
Srinivasan, who has broad bipartisan support, was seen as a test case regarding Democratic charges that Republicans were determined to filibuster and block Obama nominees, regardless of their qualifications.
In addition to receiving a unanimous vote by 18 senators on the Senate Judiciary Committee May 16 (I-W, May 24), the Indian American court nominee received support from 12 former solicitors general and principal deputy solicitors general — six Democrats and six Republicans.
Walter Dellinger, a former acting solicitor general under President Bill Clinton, recently said that Srinivasan "is undoubtedly considered one of the best three or four Supreme Court advocates in the country."
Before his confirmation, the Senate hadn't confirmed a judge to the D.C. court since 2006. Three vacancies remain on the court, including a seat held by Chief Justice John Roberts before he was confirmed to the Supreme Court in 2005. The court is now split 4-4 between active judges appointed by Republican and Democratic presidents.
Obama addressed the court bottleneck in his statement about Srinivasan's appointment.
"While I applaud the Senate's action, it's important to remember that this confirmation is the first one to this important court in seven years. The three remaining vacancies must be filled, as well as other vacancies across the country."
GOP senators have argued that a small workload on the D.C. court means more judges are not needed.
According to court officials, Srinivasan has argued 25 cases before the Supreme Court, including representing former Enron Corp. CEO Jeffrey Skilling in 2010.
In March, he presented part of the federal government's arguments during the Supreme Court's review of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, one of two gay marriage cases the court is expected to decide by the end of June.
Reactions from Asian American elected leaders and organizations ranged from proud to euphoric.
"I am so proud that Sri Srinivasan will serve on one of the country's highest courts," said Maryland state Delegate Sam Arora, D-Montgomery County. "He undoubtedly has one of the finest legal minds of his generation and a reputation for fairness that will serve him well as he decides some of the hardest cases in the country. We may well be on our way to seeing the first Indian American appointed to the Supreme Court…"
"I'm thrilled that the Senate confirmed Sri Srinivasan to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals today," said Congressman Ami Bera, D-Elk Grove, Calif. "He will be an outstanding, fair-minded judge. This is a historic moment for all Indian Americans and Asian Americans, and it's a fitting way to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month this May."
"Sri Srinivasan is an exceptional attorney with a long history of work in civil rights," said Mee Moua, president and executive director of the Asian American Justice Center.
"In private practice he handled some of the most important Supreme Court cases pro bono for AAJC and for the greater civil rights community. We congratulate him on his historic confirmation and look forward to his tenure on the D.C. Circuit."
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, said Srinivasan "will offer a unique perspective and added diversity that is long overdue in our justice system."
Deepa Iyer, executive director of South Asian Americans Leading Together, said Srinivasan "has the ideal set of experiences and skills for this important position…SAALT also commends President Obama for nominating Srinivasan and the Senate for confirming his nomination."
The first time Srinivasan argued a case before the high court, Dellinger told USA Today, he took a single sheet of paper to the podium so he would not appear overconfident. The paper was blank.
USA said family members and friend describe Srinivasan as "a doting father, loyal friend, fanatical University of Kansas basketball fan and open-minded attorney who doesn't come to each case with a predisposition."
"He is attracted to persuasive arguments, regardless of their source," Irv Gornstein, executive director of the Supreme Court Institute at Georgetown University, told the newspaper.
Srinivasan's father, who was born in the south Indian village of Mela Thiruvenkatanathapuram, became a college mathematics professor and moved the family to Berkeley, Calif., in the late 1960s. Eventually the family settled in Lawrence, Kan.
The D.C. appellate court has been a stepping-stone for past Supreme Court justices, including Roberts, Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
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