Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke’s chief of staff is one step closer to a prestigious seat on the federal bench.
Travis McDonough’s nomination to the U.S. District Court of Eastern Tennessee was approved without dissent during a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee meeting Thursday morning.
Now the nomination heads to the Senate floor for a final vote.
McDonough’s approval was confirmed with no discussion and through a voice vote, which means he is “well-respected and not controversial,” said professor Carl Tobias, an expert in federal judicial nominations who teaches law at the University of Richmond.
“This is very good for him,” Tobias said.