PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) – The nomination of Rhode Island Public Defender Mary McElroy to be a judge for the U.S. District Court in Providence has been approved by the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee.
The nomination advances to the full Senate, following last week’s approval by the committee.
President Donald Trump renominated McElroy in April.
McElroy’s two previous nominations expired before she was confirmed. She was first nominated by President Barack Obama in 2015. Trump nominated her in 2018. The Senate Judiciary Committee had advanced the nomination, but she wasn’t confirmed by the full Senate.
McElroy has been the state’s public defender since 2012.
If she’s approved, she’ll fill a vacancy left by Judge Mary Lisi.
Rhode Island U.S. Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, both Democrats, recommended McElroy and have strongly backed her nomination.
