Marsha Blackburn Criticizes Black Judicial Nominee’s ‘Rap Sheet’ Of Speeding Tickets

[GMDino]

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/marsha-blackburn-andre-mathis-black-judge-rap-sheet_n_61df1ec2e4b0603631b3d9a0?w

Quote:Andre Mathis, Biden's appeals court pick, doesn't have a criminal record. He once got a ticket for going 5 miles over the speed limit, though.
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By 
[url=https://www.huffpost.com/author/jennifer-bendery]Jennifer Bendery
01/12/2022 03:41pm EST | Updated 9 hours ago

Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) said Wednesday that she has serious concerns with one of President Joe Biden’s Black judicial nominees and referenced his “rap sheet” of old speeding tickets, a suggestion of a criminal record when there is none.

During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Blackburn said she would oppose Andre Mathis’ nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit for a few reasons. She accused the White House of not providing “meaningful consultation” on his nomination, which is for a court seat based in her state. She said she didn’t think Mathis had enough experience, either. She said her preferred nominee was Camille McMullen, an African American judge on the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals.

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But then, oddly, she brought up Mathis’ driving record.

“He has a rap sheet with a laundry list of citations, including multiple failures to appear in court,” said the Republican senator. “In Tennessee, we expect our judges to respect the law. If Mr. Mathis thought he was above the law before, imagine how he’ll conduct himself if he’s confirmed as a federal judge.”



What Blackburn referred to as a rap sheet, a term for a person’s criminal history that stems from the acronym for Record of Arrests and Prosecutions, was actually related to three speeding tickets Mathis got more than 10 years ago, one of which was for going 5 miles over the speed limit. His driver’s license was temporarily suspended when he didn’t pay them on time and did not show up to court for them.

Mathis told the committee he has never been arrested or charged with a crime. In the case of his speeding tickets, he said he simply forgot to pay them and didn’t realize his license had been suspended until he got a notice in the mail from the Tennessee Department of Motor Vehicles, at which point he paid his tickets.


He was clearly humiliated that his old speeding tickets were even an issue.

“I highly regret that I’m in this situation,” Mathis said, choking up. “I feel like I’ve embarrassed my family. While I deserve this, they don’t.”






Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) said President Joe Biden's judicial nominee Andre Mathis has a "rap sheet with a laundry list of citations," which is actually just three speeding tickets from more than 10 years ago.
DREW ANGERER VIA GETTY IMAGES

Despite her concerns that Mathis was behaving as if he were above the law by not paying tickets, Blackburn did not mention that it was just last year that she was pulled over by police while riding in a car, got out of the car, indicated that she was a U.S. senator and flashed her congressional pin before being let go.

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) appeared to mock Blackburn calling attention to Mathis’ driving record.

“Sen. Blackburn refers to your ‘rap sheet,’ is what she called it,” Durbin said to Mathis. “Well, if speeding tickets are a rap sheet, I’ve got one too. I never got a speeding ticket for driving 5 miles over the limit, which apparently is one of your tickets. ... We’ve all I think been guilty of that sin and perhaps all have a rap sheet that’s over 6 miles or more.”






Mathis, Biden's nominee to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee in a hearing on Capitol Hill.
ELIZABETH FRANTZ VIA REUTERS

Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), who joined the hearing after Blackburn’s remarks, said he “almost laughed” when he learned how she described Mathis’ driving record.

“I laughed with my staff that I have a rap sheet now, probably much longer than the witness’s,” said Booker, telling a story about his experiences as the first Black family moving into his New Jersey neighborhood as a kid.

“I was pulled over quite a few more times than [my white friends] were. We all knew what it was about,” he said. “My brother and I used to think, ‘If we’re Black, you just prepare for being pulled over.’ Sometimes I was pulled over for going 3 miles over the speed limit, for something cracked or that looked awry on my car.”

Booker asked Mathis if he, too, experienced “driving while Black” while growing up.

“I take responsibility for my actions. I don‘t want to blame anything or anyone else for what I did,” Mathis replied. “That’s what I’ll say about that.”

“Sir, that is a great answer,” replied the New Jersey senator. “And in many ways, the humility and respect I think your character speaks to.”

This story has been updated to note that Blackburn’s preferred nominee was Camille McMullen, an African American state judge.

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

Gasp!

A few things. It said "one" of the speeding tickets was for 5 mph over the limit. What about the other two? Interesting omission by the "reporter". What I do find interesting, and far more noteworthy, were this gentlemen's FTA's. The article, again great "reporting" (it is HuffPo, were "journalism" goes to die), doesn't mention how many FTA's this guy accrued. He also failed to pay his tickets because he "forgot" and ended up with a suspended license because of it. While I don't consider any of this disqualifying I do find it interesting that the article implies it being brought up is somehow outrageous or beyond the pale. If I had three speeding tickets I failed to pay and had my license suspended because of it I would lose my job, period. At the very least I'd be facing serious disciplinary action. So raising this issue in the hearing for an extremely powerful position this man will hold for life is absolutely germane and completely fair to bring up.

As for the "rap sheet" comment. I doubt many people know what rap sheet actually means and there's no evidence it was used in a deliberately incorrect fashion. I am glad to see that Corey Booker took the opportunity to race bait, kudos to the nominee for not joining Booker in that swamp.

[basballguy]

honestly, it sounds like Mathis responded as a level headed person would respond.

Booker and Blackburn are what I expect from politicians these days....Blackburn with the fake outrage over FTAs from a decade ago and Booker for suddenly making it a race issue.

I'm half surprised nobody said Blackburn was being racist for calling it a "rap sheet" since Mathis is black. Even if she omitted the rap sheet piece she's still an idiot...if this is the best they can drudge up then he's probably a good candidate.

[NATI BENGALS]

Is this a Trump nominee?

He was the one that nominated and appointed many people who went totally against the ethos of the bodies/organizations they were put in to positions of power at.

I have a problem with a judge who has a record of failure to appears.

I don't know enough about it. Maybe he had a string of bad luck with the court system and ended up getting in to law. And I know black males tend to have a hard time in our justice system so maybe he got rail roaded. But through my lens. Not a good look.

I had a FTA for a speeding ticket and freaked all the way the F out. And was down there that day after oversleeping. Something tells me being in court when you are supposed to is an important part of the job requirements for being a judge.

[GMDino]

Oddly I never said anything about racism. 

Yes, the title mention he is black but that didn't seem to be the gist given that Blackburn wanted an African American nominated. Click bait title I suppose.

I was content with Blackburn making a really stupid argument based on three speeding tickets and a FTA in the guy's past.  Even the nominee didn't take up the driving when black that probably did face...but that's for another time.  Blackburn wanted an African American nominated, just not this one so I didn't think it racist...just dumb.

Strange that THAT was the main take from the story and what a defense was mounted toward.

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(01-14-2022, 10:55 AM)GMDino Wrote: Oddly I never said anything about racism. 

Yes, the title mention he is black but that didn't seem to be the gist given that Blackburn wanted an African American nominated.  Click bait title I suppose.

I was content with Blackburn making a really stupid argument based on three speeding tickets and a FTA in the guy's past.  Even the nominee didn't take up the driving when black that probably did face...but that's for another time.  Blackburn wanted an African American nominated, just not this one so I didn't think it racist...just dumb.

Strange that THAT was the main take from the story and what a defense was mounted toward.

It wasn't anyone's take, it was Corey Booker who introduced it.  In fact I even congratulated the nominee on not getting into the mud with Booker.  Dig the passive aggressive approach from you btw.