 On March 17, 2003, Díaz-Balart revealed the formation of the Conference in an open letter published in the "Wall Street Journal".Joined by Bonilla, Ros-Lehtinen, his brother Lincoln, and newly elected colleague Devin Nunes, a California congressman of Portuguese (Azorean) descent, Díaz-Balart decried what he perceived as Hispanic Democratic efforts to derail the nomination of Estrada, a selection seen by some at the time as a possible fast track to the U.S. Supreme Court.The group was officially announced at a press conference two days later.