Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Naming the new Richmond courthouse, round two

The idea of naming the new federal courthouse in downtown Richmond after Judges Spottswood W. Robinson III and Robert R. Merhige Jr. has been circulating for about two years, with a push from local bar groups.

Last October, Sens. John Warner and George Allen introduced legislation to secure the name, but it went nowhere.

Allen lost his seat to now-Sen. Jim Webb.

Warner's office has issued a press release with much ballyhoo that he will introduce a bill next week to name the courthouse for Robinson, who served on the D.C. Circuit, and Merhige, a longtime U.S. District judge in Richmond.

The release doesn't mention Allen or the failed prior effort. But it does tout that Webb has signed on. Warner and Webb have worked together on judicial nominees for the Old Dominion, with mixed success and cooperation from the White House. Stay tuned to see if they can jog their colleagues into passing the name bill.

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