Governor Rell (R-CT) is calling on committee chairs to stop deliberately placing obstacles in the way of her nomination for chief justice of the state Supreme Court. With two weeks left in the legislative session, many Republicans say partisan politics is taking over. A public hearing on the confirmation of Peter Zarella scheduled for Tuesday was cancelled. Senator Andrew McDonald (D-Stamford) who co-chairs the judiciary committee says the reason the public hearing was cancelled has nothing to do with feelings on the nomination. He says a state rule prohibits a committee from holding a public hearing on a day when either the House or Senate is in session. If Zarella is not confirmed as chief justice before the session ends on May 3, he could assume the position on an interim basis but would have to be nominated again in January.