Congress’ refusal to rename courthouse for Hatchett leaves Lawson fuming

By St. Clair Murraine
Outlook Staff Writer

After seeing how smoothly a bill to rename the Florida Supreme Court in honor of Joseph Woodrow Hatchett sailed through the Senate, Rep. Al Lawson was optimistic that Congress would give it final approval.

All it needed was two-thirds of the House to support it, but when the votes were tallied the bill failed. A group of Florida Republicans were in the majority of those who didn’t support the measure.

Hatchett was Florida’s first Black Supreme Court Justice since reconstruction.

Three months after Hatchett died in April at age 88, Lawson introduced legislation to honor the Justice by renaming the courthouse Judge Joseph Woodrow Hatchett U.S. Courthouse. The state Supreme Court is in Tallahassee. 

Lawson, who is from Tallahassee, blasted Republicans for not supporting the bill.

 “I am extremely disappointed in my Republican colleagues who voted against the measure, especially since the bill passed unanimously in the Senate,” Lawson said in a statement following last Wednesday’s vote. 

Florida Republican senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott sponsored a similar bill and got bipartisan support to easily get it through the Senate. The bipartisanship didn’t carry over to Congress.

The measure failed by a 238-187 vote, falling short of the necessary two-thirds majority to be sent for President Joe Biden to sign. The entire Florida delegation co-sponsored the bill.

“To witness on the House floor, Republican votes change in disapproval of the bill during the final seconds of roll call was abhorrent,” Lawson said.

Lawson chided Georgia Republican Andrew Clyde who mentioned a 1999 ruling by Judge Hatchett regarding student prayer in public schools. Clyde is also one of the three members who opposed the Emmett Till Anti-lynching Act.

 “Judge Hatchett was a true social justice pioneer and public servant who devoted his career to advocating for civil rights,” Lawson said. “Hatchett was dedicated to his home state of Florida, where he served in many positions in the military and the federal and local justice systems. It would’ve been an honor to recognize such a leader.”