Anyone looking for something good to say about our erratic president and tweeter-in-chief can find it expressed with some regularity in the names of his nominees for key positions in the country's judicial branch of government. First and still foremost was this country's now confirmed nominee to the Supreme Court of the United States: The Hon. Neil Gorsuch, who continues to prove a thoughtful and forceful addition to that high court.
And now along comes the nominee for U.S. Attorney in this state's Eastern District, which includes 41 of Arkansas' 75 counties. That nominee, Cody Hiland, has understandably been met by an unbroken chorus of praise from members of the U.S. Senate's committee on the judiciary. Not to mention both of Arkansas' U.S. senators, who, being quality themselves, can recognize it when they see it. And, happily, Cody Hiland personifies it.
"I am pleased that Chairman [Charles] Grassley and the Judiciary Committee gave swift approval of Cody Hiland's nomination," said Senator John Boozman. "He is a highly qualified, successful prosecutor who will be an excellent U.S. Attorney. Senator [Tom] Cotton and I will work with Senate leadership to encourage quick floor consideration of Cody's nomination so he can begin working to make our communities safer." Happily, such praise isn't just the usual boilerplate but can be backed up by the extensive record.
Cody Hiland can boast--though he doesn't--about his wide experience in government that makes him more than a one-trick pony in the center ring of the usual confirmation circus. An aide and legislative liaison to former Gov. Mike Huckabee, he would go to work on the staff of the state's Public Service Commission and then its Transitional Employment Board, so he knows something about the state's many layers of bureaucracy as well as how to overcome it, and even on occasion design it. He's also put in some time as a private attorney (with Hiland, Thomas and Cox) before he was elected as a prosecuting attorney. And then re-elected. So he's gotten the voters' stamp of approval with some regularity. All of which speaks well of their judgment as well as his own.
Counselor Hiland has been tutored, disciplined and educated on regular occasion by the best of teachers in politics: defeat. For who has ever learned much by reciting his victories? Counselor Hiland lost his race for the state's Court of Appeals last year, as well as for the legislature's House of Representatives a decade ago. It's all too rare a treat to second his nomination for U.S. Attorney and be reminded that there are still public servants who have earned that honorable title.
Editorial on 09/19/2017