WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today released the following statements after the Senate confirmed former Texas Solicitor General Jim Ho to fill a vacancy on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit:
“I am very glad to see the Senate confirm my good friend Jim Ho to the Fifth Circuit,” Sen. Cruz said. “Jim has proven throughout his brilliant career that he is a passionate defender of the Constitution and the rule of law. After clerking for Justice Clarence Thomas on the United States Supreme Court, serving in the Department of Justice, and serving as a chief counsel in the United States Senate, Jim succeeded me as the Solicitor General of Texas, where he argued some of this country’s toughest cases before its highest courts. He’s smart, principled, and devoted to the rule of law. And, having come to America as a child immigrant from Taiwan, Jim loves liberty and has led the American dream. He will make an extraordinary federal judge, and will very soon be a national leader on the bench.”
Sen. Cruz and Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) recommended Jim Ho to President Trump following an extensive review and interview process of the candidate pool by the bipartisan Federal Judicial Evaluation Committee (FJEC). Sen. Cruz and Sen. Cornyn established the FJEC, a bipartisan panel of leading attorneys in Texas, to help identify the most qualified candidates to fill judicial vacancies. The panel reviewed applications, interviewed candidates, and made recommendations to the Senators, who interviewed individuals before making their recommendations to the President.
Former Texas Solicitor General, Jim Ho: Nominee for the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Jim Ho is a partner in the Dallas office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, where he serves as co-chair of the firm’s appellate and constitutional law practice group. Before joining the firm, Mr. Ho served as Solicitor General of Texas in the Office of the Attorney General of Texas. Before relocating to Texas, Mr. Ho served as a law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and as Chief Counsel to U.S. Senator John Cornyn on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Mr. Ho also served in the U.S. Department of Justice, first as a special assistant to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, and then as an attorney-advisor in the Office of Legal Counsel. Upon graduation from law school, Mr. Ho served as a law clerk to Judge Jerry E. Smith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He earned a B.A. in Public Policy, with honors, from Stanford University and a J.D., with high honors, from the University of Chicago Law School.