Judge David Hamilton confirmed to 7th Circuit Court of Appeals

by: BrianK

Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 17:04:26 PM EST

Just two days after 70 Senators voted to break the deadlock and move forward with his nomination, Hoosier Judge David Hamilton was confirmed by the full Senate this afternoon by a vote of 59-39. Senator Lugar was the only Republican to vote for confirmation.

Judge Hamilton, a Bloomington native, has served on the US District Court for the Southern District of Indiana since 1994. Hamilton also served as counsel to then-Governor Bayh from 1989-1991. He was President Obama's first nominee to the federal bench in March, but his nomination has been held up by Republican Senators since the Judiciary Committee endorsed him in June.

Judge Hamilton is the nephew of former Indiana congressman Lee Hamilton, and the brother-in-law of Obama's stalled nominee to head the Office of Legal Counsel, IU Professor Dawn Johnsen.