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THE WHITE HOUSE

                     Office of the Press Secretary
                            (McAllen, Texas)
________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                   February 9, 2000

PRESIDENT CLINTON NOMINATES ROBERT J. CINDRICH, KENT R. MARKUS, JOHN

ANTOON II, AND PHYLLIS J. HAMILTON TO THE FEDERAL BENCH

The President today nominated Robert J. Cindrich to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, Kent R. Markus to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, John Antoon II to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, and Phyllis J. Hamilton to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

Robert J. Cindrich, of Mars, Pennsylvania, has been a United States District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania since 1994. Prior to his service with the federal district court, Cindrich was a partner at the firms of Cindrich & Titus from 1991 to 1994; Mansmann Cindrich & Titus from 1986 to 1991; and Mansmann Cindrich & Huber from 1981 to 1986. In 1982, Cindrich was also named the Township of Kennedy's Solicitor. He previously served as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania from 1978 to 1981, and was a partner at McVerry, Baxter, Cindrich & Mansmann from 1972 to 1978. Cindrich ran a solo practice from 1970 to 1972. He was an Assistant Public Defender at the Allegheny County Public Defender's Office from 1969 to 1970, and clerked for the Hon. Ruggero J. Aldisert of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit from 1968 to 1969. Cindrich received his A.B. degree from Wittenberg University in 1965, and his J.D. degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1968.

Kent R. Markus, of Dublin, Ohio, has been the Director and the Visiting Professor of Law for the Dave Thomas Center for Adoption Law at Capital University Law School since 1998. Prior to becoming a professor, Markus worked at the United States Department of Justice, serving as Counsellor to the Attorney General and Deputy Chief of Staff for the Office of the Attorney General from 1996 to 1998; Acting Assistant Attorney General and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legislative Affairs from 1995 to 1996; and Counsel to the Office of the Deputy Attorney General in 1994. His other legal positions include First Assistant Attorney General and Chief of Staff for the Ohio Attorney General's Office from 1991 to 1992; litigation associate at Gold, Rotatori, Schwartz & Gibbons from 1986 to 1989; and adjunct professor at the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law from 1986 to 1988. He began his legal career as a clerk for the Hon. Alvin I. Krenzler of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio from 1984 to 1986. Markus received his B.S. degree from Northwestern University School of Speech in 1981, and his J.D. degree, with honors, from Harvard Law School in 1984.

John Antoon II, of Ormond Beach, Florida, has been a judge on the Fifth District Court of Appeal of the State of Florida since 1995. Prior to joining the Fifth District Court of Appeal, Antoon served as a circuit judge on the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit of the State of Florida from 1985 to 1995. He was also a partner at the firms of Stromire, Westman, Lintz, Baugh, McKinley, and Antoon, P.A. from 1976 to 1984; Antoon and Clifton, P.A. from 1974 to 1976; and Shreve, Antoon, and Clifton from 1972 to 1974. In addition, Antoon held positions as both a part-time Assistant Public Defender for the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit of the State of Florida from 1972 to 1976, and as a prosecutor for the City of Cocoa, Florida, from 1971 to 1972. He began his legal career as an associate with Gleason, Walker, Pearson, and Shreve in 1971. Antoon received his B.A. degree from Florida Southern College in 1968, and his J.D. degree from Florida State University College of Law in 1971.

Phyllis J. Hamilton, of Oakland, California, has served as a U.S. Magistrate Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California since 1991. Prior to her appointment as a U.S. Magistrate Judge, Hamilton served as a Court Commissioner for the Municipal Court for the Oakland-Piedmont-Emeryville Judicial District from 1985 to 1991, and as an Administrative Judge for the San Francisco Regional Office of the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board from 1980 to 1985. In addition, Hamilton served as the Manager of EEO Programs for Farinon Electric Corporation in 1980, and as a Deputy Public Defender in the California State Public Defender's Office from 1976 to 1980. She received her B.A. degree from Stanford University in 1974, and her J.D. degree from the Santa Clara University School of Law in 1976.

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