White House Gives Nod to Schumer's Brother-in-Law to Be Federal Judge

Sen. Charles Schumer's brother-in-law was quietly nominated this month to a federal judgeship in New Jersey -- a move that has some in the Garden State crying political foul, The New York Post has learned.

Kevin McNulty, who is married to Schumer's sister, Fran, was named to the U.S. District Court by the White House late on Friday, Dec. 16. According to a boilerplate quote, President Obama believes McNulty is a "distinguished individual" who "will serve the American people with integrity and a steadfast commitment to justice."

New Jersey's two US senators, Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez, followed that up with their own news release heaping praise on the nominee.

What no one mentioned is that McNulty, 57, was the last-minute choice of Lautenberg, who had been leaning toward other candidates until surprisingly submitting McNulty's name to the White House.

Lautenberg and his aides have given no public explanation for the decision to go with McNulty even though the latter had never been publicly touted as a contender for the job, which carries life tenure and a $174,000-a-year salary.

"No one knows why he did it," said one person involved in the nomination process. "Everyone thinks it's all about 2014 and Frank making sure he has Chuck in his corner."

The White House declined to comment, as did McNulty.

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