Sen. Marsha Blackburn criticized for saying judicial nominee has 'rap sheet' over court appearances

Sen. Marsha Blackburn drew sharp criticism after saying judicial nominee Andre Mathis has "a rap sheet with a laundry list of citations" during a Wednesday hearing.

Blackburn, R-Tennessee, cited issues stemming from failures to appear in court following a series of traffic citations — all from a decade or more ago. Mathis said he either resolved or did not recall the incidents in question, which range from 2008 to 2011.

Mathis is one of President Joe Biden's judicial nominees, up for a seat in the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which includes Tennessee. If confirmed, he would become the first Black man and the second Black person to sit on the 6th circuit from Tennessee, according to a White House news release announcing Mathis' nomination in November.

Mathis is a partner at Memphis law firm Butler Snow. He is known for his pro bono work with the Tennessee Innocence Project and for representing indigent criminal defendants.

Read more: https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/politics/2022/01/13/marsha-blackburn-tennessee-senator-andre-mathis-lawyer-judicial-nominee-speeding-tickets-rap-sheet/9198081002/