Wendy Vitter

Wendy Vitter
Personal details
Born Wendy Lee Freret Baldwin
1961 (age 56–57)
New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Political party Republican[1]
Spouse(s)
David Vitter (m. 1990)
[2]
Residence Metairie, Louisiana
Education Sam Houston State University (BA)
Tulane University (JD)

Wendy Baldwin Vitter (née Wendy Lee Freret Baldwin; born 1961)[3] is a New Orleans lawyer. Currently serving as general counsel of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans, she is a nominee to be a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.[4]

Career

Vitter earned her Bachelor of Arts from Sam Houston State University and her Juris Doctor from Tulane University Law School.

Upon graduation from law school, she served as a law clerk in the Orleans Parish District Attorney's office and eventually rose to chief of the felony trials division. There, she prosecuted homicide cases. Later she practiced at a boutique litigation firm specializing in maritime law and other matters.

Vitter has worked as the General Counsel of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans since 2012, representing the body in all legal matters.[5] In that position, Vitter participated in sometimes controversial anti-abortion movements and anti-contraception activism, including the promotion of unsubstantiated claims about health dangers linked to contraception.[6]

Nomination to district court

On January 23, 2018, Donald Trump nominated Vitter to the seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana vacated by Judge Helen Ginger Berrigan, who took senior status on August 23, 2016.[5][7] On April 11, 2018, a hearing on her nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[8] On May 24, 2018 her nomination was reported out of committee by a 11–10 vote.[9] Her nomination is currently pending before the full United States Senate.

During her hearing before the Judiciary Committee, Vitter was questioned closely by Democrats about her previous anti-abortion and anti-birth control advocacy. In her position as general counsel of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans, Vitter had promoted unsubstantiated claims about health dangers linked to the birth control pill. During her Senate hearing, Vitter distanced herself from these claims and promised to uphold Roe v. Wade.[10] Senator Richard Blumenthal asked Vitter whether she thought Brown v. Board of Education was "correctly decided," and she declined to answer, saying she would set aside her "personal, political, or religious views" in the matter.[11][12] The American Bar Association, which evaluates candidates for the federal bench, rated Vitter with its lowest "qualified" rating, with a minority of those who participated in the process rated her as "unqualified."[10]

Personal life

She is married to former Senator David Vitter, with whom she has four children. The Vitters reside in Metairie, Louisiana.[13][3] Vitter predicted in 2000 that she would act more like Lorena Bobbitt than Hillary Clinton, if her husband strayed, saying, "If he does something like that, I'm walking away with one thing, and it's not alimony, trust me."[14] In 2007, David Vitter said his wife had forgiven him after he admitted to and apologized for involvement with an escort service.[15]

References

  1. ↑ "Judicial Questionnaire" (PDF). www.judiciary.senate.gov. 2018.
  2. ↑ "Wendy Vitter, with one exception, might have what it takes to be federal judge".
  3. 1 2 Hamilton, Keegan. "Wendy Vitter Senate Questionnaire". Vice News.
  4. ↑ "Trump nominates Wendy Vitter, wife of ex-Sen. David Vitter, for federal judgeship in New Orleans".
  5. 1 2 "President Donald J. Trump Announces Tenth Wave of Judicial Candidates" White House, January 23, 2018 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  6. ↑ Totenberg, Nina (11 April 2018). "Wendy Vitter, Wife Of 'D.C. Madam' Senator, Faces Thorny Hearing To Be Federal Judge". NPR. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  7. ↑ "Four Nominations Sent to the Senate Today".
  8. ↑ "Nominations – United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary". www.judiciary.senate.gov.
  9. ↑ Results of Executive Business Meeting – May 24, 2018, Senate Judiciary Committee
  10. 1 2 Totenberg, Nina (April 11, 2018). "Wendy Vitter, Wife Of 'D.C. Madam' Senator, Faces Thorny Hearing To Be Federal Judge". NPR. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
  11. ↑ Al-Sibai, Noor. "'I don't mean to be coy': Trump judicial nominee refuses to say whether she supports segregation". Raw Story. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  12. ↑ Schwartz, Rafi. "Here's a Trump Judicial Nominee Refusing to Say if She Supports Brown v. Board of Education". Splinter. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  13. ↑ "Trump nominates Sen. David Vitter's wife to be federal judge". The Washington Examiner. January 23, 2018.
  14. ↑ Wendy Vitter has never been shy about standing her ground, Times-Picayune, Bruce Eggler, July 23, 2007. Retrieved July 7, 2018.
  15. ↑ Tapper, Jake (July 10, 2007). "Sen. Vitter Apologizes for His Link to 'D.C. Madam'". ABC News. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
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