(MYSTIC) - Rob Simmons, candidate for US Senate, made the following statement in reaction to President Obama's nomination of Judge Robert Chatigny to the 2^ndDistrict Court of Appeals. Judge Chatigny intervened in the case of Michael Ross, a serial rapist and murderer whose victims came from Simmons former congressional district

"In 2005, as a member of Congress, I personally delivered a letter from members of the Connecticut General Assembly, urging the United States Senate to impeach federal District Court Judge Robert Chatigny.  I supported that effort because of Judge Chatigny's gross mishandling of the capital punishment case of serial rapist and murderer Michael Ross. All eight of Ross' victims were from my congressional district.

"Now, President Obama has nominated Judge Chatigny to the 2nd District Court of Appeals.  Judge Chatigny's actions in the Ross case still give me grave concerns about his judgment and judicial temperament.  Therefore, I cannot support his nomination to the second highest court in the land, and urge other candidates for Senate to join me in urging President Obama to make another choice."

FACTS

The President Nominated U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny To The U.S. Second Circuit Court Of Appeals. "President Obama today nominated U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny, who currently sits in Hartford, to the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York." (Edmund H. Mahony, "Obama Nominates Judge Chatigny For Second Circuit Seat," The Hartford Courant, 2/24/10)

Judge Chatigny Said Ross Should Have Never Been Convicted And Even If Convicted, Never Sentenced To Death. "The transcript alone lays bare the judge's unconscionable arrogance and activism, cloaked as analysis and humility. 'I bring a fresh eye,' Chatigny assured his captive audience. 'He [Ross] never should have been convicted.' Let that sink in. 'Or if convicted,' the Chief continued, 'he never should have been sentenced to death because his sexual sadism ... is clearly a mitigating factor.'" (Robert Blecker, Op-Ed, "'God Love Him?'" The Hartford Courant, 2/6/05)

Judge Chatigny: "I Suggest To You That Michael Ross May Be The Least Culpable - The Least - Of The People On Death Row." "I suggest to you that Michael Ross may be the least culpable - the least - of the people on death row. ... So when he says, 'I feel that I'm the victim of a miscarriage of justice' ... I can well understand where he's coming from." (Robert Blecker, Op-Ed, "'God Love Him?'" The Hartford Courant, 2/6/05)

Judge Chatigny Berated Ross's Defense Attorney For Not Doing Enough To Prevent His Execution, Threatening "You Better Be Prepared To Deal With Me ... Because I'll Have Your License." "During this call, Chatigny challenged Ross's lawyer, T.R. Paulding, who was hired to expedite Ross's execution, to follow up on the inmate's insanity claim. When Paulding equivocated, Chatigny berated him, at one point saying, 'You better be prepared to deal with me if in the wake of this an investigation is conducted and it turns out that what [the inmate] says and what this former program director says is true, because I'll have your license.'" (Patrick O'Connor, "Impeachment Of Judge Mulled By Judiciary," The Hill, 2/16/05)

State Republicans Called For Chatigny's Impeachment Citing "A Grievous Example Of Judicial Misconduct." "Top legislative Republicans in Hartford Wednesday asked a congressional committee to investigate what they called 'a grievous example of judicial misconduct' by Chief U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny -- whose actions last week led to the postponement of serial killer Michael Ross' execution." ("GOP Legislators Seek Action Against Chatigny," The Hartford Courant, 2/3/05)

Simmons Delivered Their Letter And Supported Their Efforts. "The five Republicans, who also included Senate Minority Leader Pro Tempore John McKinney of Fairfield, transmitted their letter to U.S. Rep. Rob Simmons, R-2nd District, asking him to hand-deliver it to Sensenbrenner, the powerful judiciary committee chairman. Simmons, whose district was home to most of Ross' victims, was happy to do so, said his chief of staff, Todd Mitchell. 'He commends his colleagues in the Connecticut General Assembly in their efforts to seek reasonable closure in this terrible matter,' Mitchell said. 'He's supportive of what they're doing.'" ("GOP Legislators Seek Action Against Chatigny," The Hartford Courant, 2/3/05)

Simmons' Former District Was Where All Of Ross's Victims Had Lived. "The letter was delivered to Sensenbrenner from Rep. Rob Simmons (R-Conn.), in whose district all eight of Ross's victims lived." (Patrick O'Connor, "Impeachment Of Judge Mulled By Judiciary," The Hill, 2/16/05)

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