Michael J. Truncale

{{Infobox judge

| name = Michael J. Truncale

| image = Michael J. Truncale (Judge) (cropped).jpg

| office = Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas

| appointer = Donald Trump

| term_start = May 16, 2019

| term_end =

| predecessor = Ron Clark

| successor =

| birth_name = Michael Joseph Truncale

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1957|8|30}}[https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Truncale%20SJQ1.pdf Senate Judiciary Committee Questionnaire, p. 7]

| birth_place = Beaumont, Texas, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| education = Lamar University (BA)
University of North Texas (MBA)
Southern Methodist University (JD)

| party = Republican

}}

Michael Joseph Truncale (born August 30, 1957) is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.

Biography

Truncale was born in 1957 in Beaumont, Texas.{{cite web|url=https://www.lawyercentral.com/michael-j-truncale-interactive-profile--20-640896.html|title=Attorney Michael J Truncale – Lawyer in Beaumont TX|website=www.lawyercentral.com}} He earned his Bachelor of Arts from Lamar University in 1978, his Master of Business Administration from the University of North Texas in 1980, and his Juris Doctor from the Dedman School of Law in 1985.{{Cite web |url=https://vettingroom.org/2018/04/19/michael-truncale/ |title=UPDATED – Michael Truncale – Nominee for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas |last=Voruganti |first=Harsh |date=2018-04-19 |website=The Vetting Room |language=en |access-date=2019-05-14}}{{cite web|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2018/01/23/trump-nominates-four-texans-fill-judge-posts|title=Trump nominates four federal judges for Texas, including another Paxton aide to replace controversial 'Satan's plan' nominee|date=January 23, 2018|publisher=}}

From 1985 to 2019, he was an associate turned partner at Orgain Bell & Tucker.

Texas Governor Rick Perry appointed Truncale a Regent of the Texas State University System for a four-year term and Governor Greg Abbott appointed him to a six-year term as a member of the state Prepaid Higher Education Tuition Board.[https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/president-donald-j-trump-announces-tenth-wave-judicial-nominees/ "President Donald J. Trump Announces Tenth Wave of Judicial Candidates" White House, January 23, 2018] {{PD-notice}}

In 2012, Truncale ran as a Republican for {{ushr|TX|14}}, which was an open seat due to Ron Paul's retirement. He garnered 14.2% in the Republican primary, taking third place to Pearland City Councilwoman Felicia Harris and state Representative Randy Weber, the eventual winner.{{cite web|url=https://elections.texastribune.org/election-2012/us-house/14/|title=U.S. House of Representatives District 14 – The Texas Tribune|first=The Texas|last=Tribune|website=elections.texastribune.org|date=January 11, 2018 }}

= Federal judicial service =

On January 23, 2018, President Donald Trump nominated Truncale to the seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas vacated by Judge Ron Clark, who had previously announced his decision to assume senior status on February 28, 2018.{{cite web|url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/four-nominations-sent-senate-today-6/|via=National Archives|work=whitehouse.gov|title=Four Nominations Sent to the Senate Today}} On April 25, 2018, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/meetings/04/25/2018/nominations United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Nominations for April 25, 2018] Under questioning by Democratic U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono, Truncale, who previously served as an election judge in Texas, said he had personally witnessed incidents of voter fraud. Hirono challenged him, saying that she did not believe the problem of voter fraud to be widespread.{{Cite web |url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/apr/25/michael-truncale-trump-judicial-pick-saw-voter-fra/ |title=Michael Truncale, Trump judicial pick, saw voter fraud |last=Swoyer |first=Alex |date=2018-04-25 |website=The Washington Times |language=en-US |access-date=2018-11-11}} On May 24, 2018, his nomination was reported out of committee by an 11–10 vote.[https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/05-24-18%20Results%20of%20Executive%20Business%20Meeting.pdf Results of Executive Business Meeting – May 24, 2018, Senate Judiciary Committee]

On January 3, 2019, his nomination was returned to the President under Rule XXXI, Paragraph 6 of the United States Senate. On January 23, 2019, President Trump announced his intent to renominate Truncale for a federal judgeship.[https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/president-donald-j-trump-announces-intent-nominate-judicial-nominees/ "President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Judicial Nominees", White House, January 23, 2019] His nomination was sent to the Senate later that day.[https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/nominations-sent-senate-2/ "Nominations Sent to the Senate", White House, January 23, 2019] On February 7, 2019, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 12–10 vote.{{Cite web|url=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/02.07.2019%20Results%20of%20Executive%20Business%20Meeting1.pdf|title=Results of Executive Business Meeting – February 7, 2019|publisher=Senate Judiciary Committee}} On May 13, 2019, the Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 49–43 vote.{{Cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=116&session=1&vote=00107|title=On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Michael J. Truncale to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Texas)|website=United States Senate|date=May 13, 2019}} On May 14, 2019, his nomination was confirmed by a 49–46 vote.{{Cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=116&session=1&vote=00108|title=On the Nomination (Confirmation Michael J. Truncale, of Texas, to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Texas)|publisher=United States Senate|date=May 14, 2019}} Senator Mitt Romney was the only Republican to vote against him because he called Barack Obama an "un-American imposter" in 2011. Truncale said he was "merely expressing frustration by what I perceived as a lack of overt patriotism on behalf of President Obama.'"{{Cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2019/05/14/romney-truncale-1321299|title=Romney rejects Trump judicial pick who smeared Obama|last=Everett|first=Burgess|website=POLITICO|language=en|date=May 14, 2019|access-date=May 14, 2019}} He received his judicial commission on May 16, 2019.{{FJC Bio|nid=6445071|inline=yes}}

Electoral history

;2012

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Texas's 14th Congressional District – Republican Primary, May 29, 2012{{cite web|url=http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist160_state.htm|title=Race Summary Report – 2012 Republican Party Primary Election|website=Office of the Secretary of State of Texas|publisher=Government of Texas|access-date=May 13, 2018}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Randy Weber

| votes = 12,088

| percentage = 27.60%

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Felicia Harris

| votes = 8,287

| percentage = 18.92%