NLJ: Chief Justice Roberts Names Two Judges to Surveillance Court

NLJ: Chief Justice Roberts Names Two Judges to Surveillance Court by Todd Ruger:

Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. has named two federal judges—both appointed by Democrat presidents—to sit on secret courts in Washington that review government surveillance applications.

Roberts designated U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, appointed by President Obama to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to serve on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court for a term that starts in May.

Boasberg would take the place of U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton, a George W. Bush appointee who serves on the Washington federal trial bench.

Roberts also designated Judge Richard Tallman, a Clinton nominee who sits on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, as a judge of the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review. All three of the FISA Court of Review judges were appointed to the federal bench by Democrats.

Roberts last year, in the national debate over government surveillance programs, drew criticism for the 11-1 imbalance—Republican-appointed judges versus Democrats—on the FISA court.

For members of the FISA Court and FISA Court of Review see wikipedia.