Miguel Estrada Helps Overturn Obama's NLRB Appointments

Attorney Miguel Estrada, who was once at the center of a contentious nomination battle, filed an amicus brief on behalf of Senate Republicans against President Obama’s recess appointments to the NLRB.

Estrada was selected last April by Senator Mitch McConnell to file the amicus brief on behalf of Senate Republicans arguing Obama’s recess appointments were unconstitutional. McConnell said at the time “Miguel Estrada is one of the country’s foremost appellate advocates.  Hehas argued 20 cases before the United States Supreme Court, and we aregratified that he will defend the Senate’s constitutional role in theconfirmation process.”

McConnell’s faith in Estrada was vindicated today when a three-judge panel ruled that the appointments, which Obama made last January, were unconstitutional. Because the NLRB would not have had a working quorum without the appointments, all of its work over the past year has been ruled void.

Back in 2001, Estrada was nominated to a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals D.C. Circuit. His nomination was successfully filibustered by Democrats for over two years, until Estrada withdrew his name from consideration in September 2003.

Since then, Estrada has become a partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher where he is “Co-Chair of the firm’s Appellate and Constitutional Law Practice Group.”