Following Justice Antonin Scalia's death, a vacancy on the Supreme Court has given President Barack Obama a historic opportunity to appoint the high court's newest member. A heated debate between Democrats and Republicans have commenced over the crucial nomination. Of all the names in the list, a D.C. Circuit judge appears to be a top choice for the position.
A popular candidate to become Scalia's successor is Indian-American Sri Srinivasan. The 48-year-old judge has served the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit since he took office in May 2013. He was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate with a 97-0 bipartisan vote.
Reuters reported that Srinivasan's credentials include controversial cases.
Srinivasan is highly recognized as a member of the legal team that struck down the Defense of Marriage Act. He articulately contended that the said law was unconstitutional due to the limitations it imposes against couples of the same sex. Srinivasan brilliantly presented his case without any notes.
Prior to his appointment to the Court of Appeals, the Stanford University alumnus defended former Enron CEO Jeff Skilling from fraud and conspiracy allegations.
He also defended EXXON Mobil Corp over alleged human rights violations in Indonesia as well as a mining company Rio Tinto in a similar case. Both cases were based on the U.S. Alien Tort Statute which allows such cases, in which the subject matter of the controversy took place overseas, to be heard in U.S. courts.
He previously served as a law clerk in Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's office and was Obama's former deputy solicitor general.
Doug Kendall, president of the liberal Constitutional Accountability Center, said Srinivasan's track record is not "progressive-forward" and is "non-ideological."
Caroline Fredrickson of the American Constitution Society opined that while it is not likely that Srinivasan would be the next Thurgood Marshall or Justice William Brennan, he is "undoubtedly considered one of the best three or four Supreme Court advocates in the country."
Sri Srinivasan was born in Chandigarh, India, but grew up in Kansas. If successfully appointed, he would become the first Indian-American on the Supreme Court.
President Obama will be the first president since Ronald Reagan to nominate fill three Supreme Court vacancies in his term.
"I plan to fulfill my constitutional responsibilities to nominate a successor in due time," Obama said, as quoted by The Wall Street Journal. "There will be plenty of time for me to do so, and for the Senate to fulfill its responsibility to give that person a fair hearing and a timely vote."
Other potential nominees for the Supreme Court post include Judge Paul Watford, Judge Jacqueline Nguyen and Judge David Barron.
