Christie renominates judge for N.J. Supreme Court vacancy

Gov. Chris Christie is making another attempt to get a Monmouth County judge on New Jersey’s Supreme Court bench.

Christie first tapped David Bauman in December 2012, but the Senate Judiciary Committee did not hold a confirmation hearing, and the nomination was withdrawn.

On Monday, Christie renominated Bauman, who would be the first Asian-American on the state’s highest court.

“I hope that we’ll stop this six-ear roadblock on filling this seat,” said Christie. “It’s wrong and it’s unprecedented, and we need to get moving on it.”

There is no reason not to confirm Bauman, he added.

“We’ve had Democrats throughout this state and around the country clamoring about Washington, D.C., and the idea that it would be absolutely unacceptable for the Republicans in the United States Senate to hold up the confirmation of a United States Supreme Court Justice for 11 months,” he said. “This seat has been held open for six years.”

Bauman said he looks forward to working with members of the Senate during the confirmation process.

“Three years ago, I stood at this podium and pledged to the people of this great state that, if my nomination were confirmed, I would everything in my power to justify this honor,” he said. “Today, I reaffirm that pledge.”

The partisan balance on the court has rankled Democrats since Christie decided early in his term as governor not to keep former Justice John Wallace on the high court.

If Bauman were to win confirmation, the court would consist of four Republicans, two Democrats and one independent.