Senatorial courtesy

As United States Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy described the practice, "Basically, it's senatorial appointment with the advice and consent of the president.

[5] The precedent that developed into senatorial courtesy began with the nomination by President George Washington of Benjamin Fishbourn to the post of naval officer for the port of Savannah, Georgia.

Given the infancy of the U.S. federal government and the need to populate the executive offices, the Senate had previously given prompt consent to the president's nominations.

[6] Senatorial courtesy generally does not apply in the appointment of justices of the Supreme Court of the United States.

In addition to the custom, the Senate afforded Hill great deference since the vacant bench seat had been held by appointees from New York since the Jefferson administration.