Senate committee approves Rawlinson

WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday approved Johnnie Rawlinson for a seat on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Rawlinson, a U.S. District Court judge for Nevada, faces a final hurdle: a full Senate vote, expected next week.

Committee Republicans used the nomination meeting to blast back at President Clinton and the Congressional Black Caucus, who allege Senate leaders are acting with prejudice in approving federal judges.

Committee chairman Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said the charges were ''malicious, offensive'' and ''ridiculous.''

President Clinton criticized Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C., for blocking minority nominees to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court for years. Black caucus members on Wednesday said the Senate has approved fewer minority nominees than white males. They said the confirmation process takes two months longer for black nominees and men are approved in 65 fewer days than women on average.

''I am saddened to make these accusations, but I will make them,'' Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, said. ''The United States Senate has acted racistly and with sexism.''

Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., on a Sunday talk show used Rawlinson, who is black, as armor to fend off racism charges.

On Thursday, Republican Sens. Jon Kyl, Ariz., and Robert Smith, N.H., noted it took only about five months to move Rawlinson through the confirmation process.

Smith then fired a question at ranking committee Democrat Patrick Leahy of Vermont: How is that racist?

''I'm not suggesting it is,'' said Leahy, who stressed that in general, minority and female nominees take longer to approve.

''Whenever there are charges of racism against the Senate, I think that we all have an obligation to speak up and defend the body and defend the members,'' Kyl said.

The committee then approved Rawlinson on a voice vote. Rawlinson has said she will decline comment until she is confirmed officially.

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., who nominated Rawlinson, said it was her qualifications that won her committee approval, not good timing that coincided with allegations of racism being leveled at Senate Republicans.

''She combines being a woman and minority with a great legal background, in addition to being one of the finest people you would ever want to meet,'' Reid said Thursday. ''She deserves it. I'm not going to get into all this other stuff.''