Jusice Breyer (left) in an informal exchange with law professor Goodwin Liu, a noted constitutional scholar. (Peg Skorpinki photo)
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Republicans intensified opposition Tuesday to the nominee for a San Francisco-based appeals court, setting up a test of whether President Barack Obama can win confirmation for an unabashed liberal.
An early test for law professor Goodwin Liu's nomination will occur next week. All seven Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee urged the Democratic chairman, Patrick Leahy of Vermont, to postpone an April 16 hearing for Liu.
The Republicans said Liu omitted 117 items from a Judiciary Committee questionnaire seeking information about his background. Those items have now been submitted, and Liu offered the committee "a sincere and personal apology" for the omissions.
Leahy was not immediately available for comment. Rather than back down from Republican criticism, however, he has harshly accused Republicans for delaying the administration's nominees for open seats on U.S. appellate and district courts.
The Liu nomination is important to Obama's ability to make the federal judiciary more liberal, following eight years of conservative judges chosen by former President George W. Bush.
If confirmed, the 39-year-old Liu may become even more important to Obama and his liberal allies. The assistant dean and law professor at the University of California, Berkeley, has been discussed as the first person of Asian descent who could be chosen for the Supreme Court.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA_JUDGES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULTPrevious postsProgressives to rejoice, Obama nominates Goodwin Liu (Thu Feb-25-10)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7789498Editorial: Liu is more than qualified to serve on appeals court (Mon Mar-01-10)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7816130Fox News composes a hit piece on Obama nominee Goodwin Liu (Fri Mar-05-10)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7846137Oakland Tribune: Obama judicial nominee already a target (Sat Mar-06-10)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x78548609th Circuit candidate's career marked by rapid ascent, wide-ranging roles (Goodwin Liu) (Wed Mar-10-10)
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-goodwin-liu9-2010mar09,0,1301596.storyAP: Young appeals court nominee raises liberal hopes (Sun Mar-14-10)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7912313Testimony of Professor Goodwin Liu on the Nomination of Judge Samuel A. Alito, Jr. January 10, 2006 (Tue Mar-16-10)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=7925476&mesg_id=7925476San Francisco Chronicle: Obama nominee Goodwin Liu an unassuming man (Tue Mar-16-10)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7929953Senate Judiciary Committee schedules Goodwin Liu nomination hearing (Tue Mar-16-10)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7930102WP: Law professor Goodwin Liu may be test case for Obama judicial picks (Mon Mar-22-10)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7985276ABC: SCOTUS Battle Quietly Brews, Contentious Hearing for Lower Court Nominee to Foreshadow (Mon Mar-22-10)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7985782Ring-wing response to video threatens Obama judicial nominee (Mon Mar-22-10)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7986200Websites form to support the nomination of Goodwin Liu (Tue Mar-23-10)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7992722LAT: Controversy Over Obama Judge, GOP "preparing to mount an assault" (Tue Mar-23-10)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8000730Senate Judiciary postpones the Goodwin Liu hearing "due to Republican objection" (Wed Mar-24-10)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8010610Senator Patrick Leahy Press Release: Republican Objections Now Stall Even Committee Progress (Thu Mar-25-10)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8012621Thomas Goldstein: A Hearing to Define "Mainstream" Judicial Views (Thu Mar-25-10)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8012997Goodwin Liu Hearing Rescheduled for April 16 (Sat Mar-27-10)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8028717NYT: An Exceptional Nominee (Sun Mar-28-10)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x526591Majority of D.A.s in state oppose Obama nominee (Wed Mar-31-10)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8055635Senator Hatch: Goodwin liu "a controversial nominee" because his views "appear to be pretty liberal" (Wed Mar-31-10)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8056270Stanford Daily: Liu ‘91 turned to service on Farm (Thu Apr-01-10)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8065314Media Matters: Fox News falsely claims Liu says "reparations
on the table" (Thu Apr-01-10)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8065447
BLT: Conservatives Aim at 9th Circuit Nominee's Questionnaire (Thu Apr-01-10)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8071363
The Nation: Liu confirmation "should be a no-brainer.” (Sat Apr-03-10)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8078827
Fox News: Goodwin Liu "Under Fire" (Sat Apr-03-10)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8079624
"Keeping Faith with the Constitution" by Goodwin Liu and Pamela Karlan available online (Sat Apr-03-10)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8079660
LA Times - Goodwin Liu: A good choice for 9th Circuit (Tue Apr-06-10)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x528400