HARTFORD, CT — Following the Senate’s rejection of Supreme Court Justice Andrew McDonald’s elevation to chief justice, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has five days to make another nomination.
But Malloy was unable to say Tuesday if he would.
Malloy said he would give the idea of nominating someone else some thought over the next few days.
“Listen, I’m just dealing with today’s development,” Malloy said.
Time is not on his side. In order to avoid the Judicial Selection Commission process, Malloy could name another Supreme Court justice to the position.
On Monday, Senate Republican President Len Fasano suggested that another member of the state Supreme Court, Justice Richard Robinson, would be an “excellent choice.”
Robinson, 61, is also from Stamford where he served as assistant corporation counsel until he was appointed by former Gov. John G. Rowland to the Superior Court. Former Gov. M. Jodi Rell appointed him to the Appellate Court in 2007 and Malloy appointed him to the Supreme Court in 2013.
Robinson has served as president of the Stamford Branch of the NAACP.
However, Malloy doesn’t have to nominate someone on the Supreme Court. He could choose a judge of the Superior or Appellate Courts, or he could choose an attorney in private practice.
There are some tight time constraints, which make the selection of an attorney in private practice a heavy lift. Anyone aside from a Supreme Court justice would have to be vetted by the Judicial Selection Commission before Malloy could put their name into nomination.
The legislature adjourns on May 9.
