The U.S. Senate approved President Donald Trump’s nominations of two members of the Florida Supreme Court as federal judges.
Back in September, Trump nominated Florida Supreme Court Justices Barbara Lagoa and Robert Luck to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Both Lagoa and Luck were named to the state Supreme Court by Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier this year and will give conservatives a majority on the 11th Circuit which includes Alabama, Florida and Georgia.
Lagoa cleared the Senate after an 80-15 cloture vote while Luck had a harder time, getting through on a 61-30 cloture vote before being approved on a 64-31 vote.
Florida’s two Republicans in the U.S. Senate–Marco Rubio and Rick Scott–applauded the confirmations.
“I thank Justice Lagoa for her years of service in both the federal and Florida state justice systems, including as a Justice on the Supreme Court of Florida,” Rubio said. “I am confident Justice Lagoa’s experience will serve her well as she begins the next chapter of her service to our nation as a U.S. Circuit Judge for the Eleventh Circuit.”
“I’m glad the Senate voted today to confirm Justice Barbara Lagoa to serve on the Eleventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Justice Lagoa has a long history of honorably serving our state. She was appointed to Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal in 2006, and to the Florida Supreme Court last year, as the first Cuban American woman to serve on that court. I look forward to Justice Lagoa’s continued service to the people of Florida and am confident she will honorably and faithfully serve the Eleventh Circuit for many years to come,” Scott said.
“Justice Luck is a well-qualified nominee who has served honorably in various capacities in both the federal and Florida state justice systems, including as a Justice on the Supreme Court of Florida,” Rubio said. “I applaud the Senate’s confirmation of Justice Luck, and I am confident he will continue to serve our nation well in his new role as a U.S. Circuit Judge for the Eleventh Circuit.”
“I’m proud the Senate voted to confirm Justice Robert Luck to serve on the Eleventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Justice Luck is a native Floridian who has dedicated himself to a career in public service. As Governor, I had the distinct pleasure to appoint Justice Luck to the bench twice – first to the Miami-Dade circuit court in 2013, and later to Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal in 2017. I’m confident Justice Luck will continue to serve our state and nation well, and I am honored to support his confirmation to the federal bench,” Scott said.
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