Politickernj - Gov. nominates Robert Hanna, Judge David Bauman to Supreme Court

By Darryl R. Isherwood | December 10th, 2012 - 11:07am

Gov. Chris Christie today nominated Board of Public Utilities President Robert Hanna and Judge David Bauman to the state Supreme Court.

Christie said the nominations of the two men represents a compromise with Democrats over the partisan balance on the court. Bauman is a Republican and Hanna is undeclared.

Christie said he and legislative Democrats continue to disagree over how many Republicans currently sit on the court - he believes there are two, while Democrats say Justice Jaynee LaVecchia, who is undeclared, is in reality Republican.

"While I still disagree with that position, getting the court fully staffed is more important than continuing to argue over that issue," he said. "I am willing to be the one who reaches my hand out in compromise first."

Christie said Bauman, who was born in Japan, also will satisify the demand for diversity on the state's highest court.

Christie said the two nominees were not part of a deal with Senate President Steve Sweeney and the Senate president has not signed off on the two men in advance. Christie said he has been in regular conversations with Sweeney and the Senate president was aware of the choice ahead of time.

The nominees were the result of interviews with "dozens" of individuals and are extremely well qualified to serve on the court, Christie said. But Christie said he also was conscious of the need for compromise with Democrats, who earlier this year shot down Christie's first two nominees, Bruce Harris and Phil Kwon.

Asked whether he was concerned over criticism that the nominees do not include a Latino or black candidate, Christie said Democrats had their chance to confirm Harris, who also was the first openly gay nominee to the high court.

"I don't really know what more they can ask for at this point," Christie said.

Both men have already been confirmed once by the Senate Judiciary Committee, Hanna as BPU commissioner last year and Bauman in 2008 after he was nominated to the Superior Court by Gov. Jon Corzine.